The key to a successful grower’s system is proper lighting. It could be helpful to use a vertical cultivation system to be more efficient in flowering the room space per square footage. Paying attention to spectrum, intensity, cooling, infrastructure, electrical distribution, and other lighting factors truly make a big difference.
Take advantage of these lighting tips to help maximize your yields and decrease your expenses while also improving the THC and terpene results.
Tip #1 Using a formula
It is advised to create and stick to a formula. Most growers have formulas for nutrients and irrigation but are lacking in a proper lighting formula. Light is the plant’s main energy source, so it is crucial to put time and energy into this development for optimal lighting conditions throughout the growth cycle. Determine your specific growing environment needs and track observations (such as yield, terpenes, and potency metrics), as this data can involve week-over-week changes in light intensity, spectrum, and other important components.
Tip #2 Experiment to Understand Results
Cannabis cultivation is multi-faceted. Making a minor tweak will impact many other variables in your operations. Cannabis is very specific and delicate in regards to maintaining growing conditions to get top-quality results. When there are any changes in lighting (particularly in the main cultivation space where the product is destined for sale), changes should be done slowly and incrementally. Track the results closely, as small changes in lighting variables can lead to significant changes overall. Variables that can be impacted both negatively and positively include, but are not limited to:
- Yield
- Cannabinoid
- Terpene content
- Nutrient levels
- Humidity
You may be able to see results overnight or take a full harvest cycle or multiple cycles for the adaptations to be established. It is best to be patient while tracking results to avoid an unsellable growing batch.
Tip #3 Assess Spectrum vs. Intensity
There is a wide variety of light fixtures you could use with varying spectrums and canopy space. It might be to your surprise that the light spectrum has quite a small impact on flower yields and terpene content after accounting for light intensity. It may be helpful to determine whether the light spectrum is genuinely delivering the downstream results you need. With so much that can go wrong throughout the growing and distribution of cannabis, you must protect your business with CA Cannabis insurance.
Tip #4 What is the Best Wattage for Your Operation?
Have you switched to LED fixtures yet? One of the advantages of this is that it will save you money since they take much less power. You may want to increase your LED wattage so that light intensity is equivalent to what your operation is used to and needs to grow properly. Don’t let the extra power consumption costs outweigh your revenue.
About White Eagle Coalition
The White Eagle Coalition empowers and enables cannabis businesses & entrepreneurs to enjoy industry-tailored insurance, banking, consulting, and legal services nationwide. UNITY leads to strength, and strength in numbers enables business owners to implement change and fully achieve the vision of the cannabis industry.
About Shepherds Organics
The consultants at Shepherds Organics have over 20 years of cannabis cultivation experience, and they are passionate about sharing their knowledge with new cultivators. They have seen cannabis companies flourish and fail, and know the steps to ensure that cultivators achieve stability and profitability. At Shepherds Organics, the mission is quality production in the most controlled, economical, and profitable way!