Ahead of the upcoming 2018 Seed to Sale Show on February 7 and 8 in Denver, CO, urban-gro CEO, Brad Nattrass and Product Development Engineer, Steve Wilchek spoke with the National Cannabis Industry Association about tips for optimizing greenhouse environments for Cannabis cultivation. Long regarded as the "future of cultivation," greenhouses are becoming more prevalent in the industry since they may significantly reduce energy consumption and improve overall facility efficiency when compared to indoor cultivation facilities.
Yet, growing sustainably in greenhouses can be challenging since many of the tactics that work well in indoor facilities don't translate to greenhouse cultivation. Oftentimes, heat management, pest control, and workflow management are more difficult in greenhouses, requiring different technologies and protocols to properly address.
Given the high crop value of Cannabis, and the increasing need for cultivators to manage costs by becoming more efficient, the following are four tips to apply when considering a greenhouse cultivation.
- Have a Plan for Winning the Battle of Humidity vs. Heat
- Reap Automation Benefits and Seize Big Data Opportunities
- Plan Your Greenhouse Layout to Lower Your Payroll Expenses
- Approach the Planning Process Wisely
Perhaps most importantly, regardless of your facility aspirations or the depth of knowledge of your cultivation team, work with an expert! Scaling up has the potential to introduce challenges not encountered before that your team may be ill equipped to deal with. A greenhouse is a long-term investment with high capital costs, so it's smart to take the time to maximize your facility's production capacity up-front. Calling on experienced designers, agronomists, and project managers will pay dividends well into the future.
Read the full article originally posted to the National Cannabis Industry Association blog.
