Which cannabis strains stay short? (Best strains for small spaces)

by Nebula Haze

Each cannabis plant grows a little different. Some tend to grow tall and thin, while others stay short and bush out. Genetics affects everything from yield, potency, color, and smell of buds.

Many autoflowering strains tend to stay short, especially when grown in small pots.

Autoflowering plants posing under a window

But if you’re growing in a short space (for example in a stealth setup or if height is limited), you can save yourself a bunch of headaches by starting with a strain that tends to stay short. That gives one less thing for you to worry about.

Auto-flowering strains that stay short

  • Bubblelicious Autoflower – Classic effects that are relaxing but not overwhelming, easy to grow, and smells amazing
  • C4 Auto – Purple buds, fast finishing, easy to grow, average-to-high potency
  • NYC Diesel Autoflower – Fuel or gas smell, high potency, “uplifting” and “creative” psychological effects are excellent during the day
  • THC Bomb Autoflower – Resistant to problems, buds sparkle, very high potency
  • Wedding Cake Autoflower – Distinctly Californian sweet smell, high potency, “body high” and “heavy” effects are a great way to end a long day

THC Bomb Auto plants tend to stay short and produce above-average potency and yields

Photoperiod strains that stay short

  • Bubble Bomb – Beautiful sparkly buds, bubblegum scent, good yields, high potency
  • Cream Caramel – Exceptional sweet smell and taste, easy to grow, very high potency
  • Critical (Royal Queen version) – Great yields, easy-going, quick time to harvest, high potency but not overwhelming effects
  • Hash Plant – Easy to grow, quick to harvest, old school classic 90s effects with an extra kick
  • Tropicana Cookies Purple – Buds take on purple tints, excellent smell, potent and long-lasting effects
  • Tutankhamon (King Tut) – Relatively low smell (which may be better for stealth), extra high potency

Tutankhamon plants don’t have a strong smell, which may be a good thing in a stealth setup. Buds get so dense they may need to be held up with plant yo-yos and the potency/effects are legendary.

King Tut (Tutankhamon) cannabis strain by Pyramid Seeds

Note: In order to start making buds, photoperiod strains need 12-hour dark periods (12/12 light schedule). Long nights make them “think” winter is coming and they start flowering.

Keep in mind…

  • Auto-flowering strains are a great choice for small spaces because they tend to stay small
  • Photoperiod plants should be given 12/12 within 2-3 weeks of germination so they start flowering as soon as possible
  • Look at strain details and try to find strains that are listed as staying short
  • Ask the breeder if you have any questions. Most breeders are happy to discuss their strains with you (try their social media account or look for contact information on their official website)

 

5 Big Tips to Growing Cannabis Plants in Short Spaces

I shared some great cannabis strains that are less likely to get out of control, but here are 5 more tips to help ensure you get the best result growing tiny plants in your cannabis “microgrowery”.

Plant containers

  • Use smaller pots – Restricting the root size helps keep plants shorter (but only to an extent). Some growers even grow in solo cups. I’ve found 6″ square hard-sided pots (bonsai flower pots) are excellent at helping keep plants short, but are much more stable than cups. Their square shape lets you fit multiple plants close together. Any pot under 1-gallon size should keep plant size from getting out of control as long as you’re growing a short strain.
  • Use hard-sided plant containers – Plants tend to stay smaller in hard-sided plant containers vs the same size fabric or air pot (the extra oxygen makes plants grow faster and plants tend to get bigger).

I like 6″ square hard-sided pots (blue pots in this picture) when you’re trying to keep plants as small as possible. They’re small enough to restrict plant size, but plants can get big enough to produce a few ounces. I also have a few autoflowering plants in plastic cups in this picture.

Using bigger pots and/or fabric pots (these are 3-gallon fabric pots in a small 2’x2’x4 grow tent) contributes to plants growing out of control

Bend stems to keep plants shorter (“plant training”)

  • If any stem starts getting too tall, gently bend it over and tie it down in place with plant twist ties
  • Consider topping your cannabis plants (cut off the top) when they’re small
    • This splits the main stem into two separate branches so it’s easier to spread out a too-tall plant
    • Also tends to help keep auto-flowering plants short because it can trigger them to start flowering earlier (learn how to top an autoflowering strain)

Use simple plant training techniques to bend stems over as they grow and force plants to grow the exact size and shape you want. This cannabis plant produced several ounces yet was only a little over 1′ tall (1/3m) at harvest. For reference, this grow tent is 3′ (1m) tall and the light was an HLG 100 4000k LED grow light.

As plant grows…

Ocassionally bend over the tallest stems and tie them down flat with plant twist tie. Get creative to attach the other side of the twisty tie to your plant pot (examples: binder clips, safety pin, poke a hole through pot, wrap tie around the pot lip, etc.)

If you keep bending and tying plant down as it grows…

You’ll end up with a wide, flat plant like this

This forces plants to stay short. Here’s that plant just before harvest. Quite a bit of weed for 100W of LEDs in a 3′ (1m) tall grow tent

Learn more about using simple plant training techniques.

Fewer plants are better for short spaces

  • It’s easier to control the height of plants when you grow only 1 or 2 plants at a time. You have less to worry about
  • If you do plan on growing multiple plants, use pots that are 1 gallon or smaller

It’s easier to care for one plant when you’re worried about height because it gives you more flexibility

You can grow multiple plants but make sure to give them small pots and stay on top of plant training. If one plant starts going crazy, you may have to remove that one and continue with the orderly plants.

Grow light

  • Use blue or vegetative spectrum grow lights (can be used from seed to harvest and help keep plants shorter) – HLG 4000k are a great choice.
  • Avoid red or “bloom” grow lights in the vegetative stage (these tend to make plants grow more tall and stretchy)
  • Find a grow light that can be kept close to your plant, to maximize the height available to you.
  • Recommended grow lights that can be kept under 12″ away:
    • HLG 100 (I’ve used the 4000k version from seed to harvest with great results)
    • Spider Farmer SF-1000 (I’ve found plants can get within inches without getting burned)
    • A 150W HPS (I like the 150W Sunburst model) may be a better choice for a cool grow room because plants grow slowly under LEDs if it’s under 78°F/26° with the lights on. Plants light it relatively warm under LEDs. On the other hand, plants actually prefer cooler temperatures under a HID lights like a Metal Halide or HPS grow light. Some growers don’t want to pay to heat a cool grow room. A 150W HPS can be kept only 10-12″ away from the tops of plants as long as the temperature stays under 80°F/27°C. Normally I recommend staying away from HPS lights in the vegetative stage because they have a yellow/red spectrum which tends to cause stretching. However, I’ve found plants seem to stay short enough when you’re using the smaller HPS lights, likely because the light is so intense that it reaches basically to the bottom of the plant. Plus you can always use bending and tying down for any stretchy branches. I just recommend avoiding using LEDs is the grow space is cool.

The HLG 100 (4000k version) helps plants stay short and can be used from seed to harvest

Smell control

If you want to grow plants without smell, you need to get a grow tent + fan + carbon filter. This combo prevents smells from leaking out of the garden (weed can get smelly). As an added bonus, this helps move air around the plants which prevents hot spots from the light, vents out any extra heat, and gives fresh air to the plants, resulting in faster growth and helps prevent mold when buds get fat).

Examples

Learn more about setting up your grow tent!

Example of bright green and purple cannabis buds which have the best smell!

 

Return to Top of Page