030 - Planting Density & Substrate Strategies

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This Cultivation Elevated episode primarily focuses on advanced cultivation strategies for cannabis indoors, covering topics ranging from substrate selection to irrigation strategies and environmental control.

Substrate Selection and Characteristics

Anders and Michael discuss various substrates used in cannabis cultivation, including rockwool and coco. Rockwool is favored for its consistency across batches and inert nature, making it suitable for precise nutrient control and advanced cultivation techniques under high light levels. On the other hand, coco is praised for its blend of steerability and risk mitigation, though it poses challenges due to variability between batches and potential issues with nutrient content.

Factors Influencing Substrate Choice

• Consistency and Manageability: Rockwool is highlighted for its consistent performance and suitability for advanced irrigation strategies where precise steering of plant growth is crucial.
• Steerability and Risk: coco offers flexibility but requires careful management due to variability in batch quality and nutrient content.

Plant Density and Irrigation Strategies

The conversation delves into optimal plant densities and their impact on cultivation outcomes. They emphasize the importance of tailoring planting densities to specific cultivars and optimizing them based on factors like light penetration, airflow, and irrigation needs.

Environmental Control and HVAC Sizing

A significant portion of the discussion revolves around HVAC system design and sizing. They stress the importance of basing HVAC requirements on canopy square footage rather than plant count due to the variability in plant counts during cultivation cycles. This approach provides flexibility and ensures that environmental conditions are adequately maintained regardless of changes in plant density.

Practical Tips for Growers

• Irrigation Strategies: They recommend basing irrigation strategies on substrate volume per plant and per square foot to ensure adequate moisture levels and prevent aggressive dry backs overnight.
• Microbial Management: Practical advice includes managing microbial risks during harvest, particularly with open-top coco substrates, to avoid contamination and maintain crop quality.

Advanced Cultivation Techniques

The speakers share insights into advanced techniques such as sub-canopy air circulation and under-canopy lighting to optimize plant growth and yield. They highlight the benefits of using specific substrates and configurations that support these techniques effectively.

Facility Design Considerations

The conversation concludes with considerations for facility design, emphasizing the importance of substrate choice, plant density, and environmental control systems in maximizing cultivation efficiency and yield.

Conclusion

Overall, this episode of Cultivation Elevated provides a comprehensive overview of advanced cultivation practices for cannabis, emphasizing the critical role of substrate choice, irrigation strategies, and environmental control in achieving optimal crop outcomes. Michael and Anders’ insights cater to both new growers and experienced cultivators looking to enhance their understanding and practices in indoor cannabis cultivation.

ABOUT CULTIVATION ELEVATED:

If you are a grower or owner looking to optimize your existing or new cultivation facility or anyone looking to cultivate more in less space, then this is the show for you. Each week, join Host Michael Williamson as he travels across the country, to explore the world of vertical farming and the future of cannabis and food production through his conversations with leading industry operators, growers and executives who are demonstrating success and resilience as growers and cultivators. Each episode provides stories and key insights that will inspire and show you first-hand, how each of these companies have overcome challenges, and found their own path to success. Brought to you by Pipp Horticulture.

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