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5 Tips for Higher Yields
The ultimate goal of any business is to be as profitable as possible. For cultivation facilities, this goal is twofold – increase yields and decrease costs. These five tips will help you achieve both simultaneously without sacrificing quality.
Stop using single-ended bulbs
Single-ended HPS bulbs are the least efficient lighting solution available. Simply switching to double-ended bulbs will result in a 30% increase in light output within PAR, without using any more energy. Since light is one of the three basic things plants need to grow (light, CO2 and climate), increasing the amount of light that reaches plants will increase yields.
Grow on a 5×5 footprint
Once the switch away from single-ended bulbs has been made, it is possible to increase the footprint of each light and grow larger plants, while using the same amount of energy and casting the same amount of light within PAR per square foot. This allows for larger plants that are able to produce more because they are not fighting for resources. To achieve the full benefits, be sure to choose reflectors that are designed specifically for indoor cannabis cultivation. With the proper reflector, an increased footprint and higher efficiency bulbs, you will see cost savings from both equipment purchases and monthly electricity needs.
Trellis Plants
Trellising cannabis plants increases yields in three ways: 1. It increases the number of available bud sites; 2. It removes unnecessary leaves, allowing plant energy to be focused on growing larger buds; 3.It creates an even plant canopy that allows all buds to receive the same amount of light. Additionally, trellising plants allows the lights to stay in one place, moving the plant instead of the reflectors. This allows for savings on labor.
Use Hydroponics
While only recommended for experienced growers, hydroponics can drastically increase yields and improve plant growth. With hydroponics, water and nutrients are delivered directly to the plant, without a middleman, allowing plants to absorb more of the nutrients that have been delivered, without losing some to the soil. This increases plant growth and leads to larger plants that produce a higher yield.
Incorporate Biosecurity into Facility
You wouldn’t leave the doors of your cultivation facility open, with no one there to watch over the facility. But that’s exactly what is happening if you don’t have a biosecurity plan in place. Just like the locks and cameras that protect the physical security of the facility, a biosecurity plan will protect your plants from biological contaminants such as powdery mildew or mold.
These contaminants can wreak havoc on a crop, ruining plants in a matter of weeks, if not days. The best way to ensure your plants are protected from contaminants is to protect them through air sanitation, proper dehumidification and frequent biosecurity audits. These small steps can help increase the health of your crop and allow for healthier, higher yielding plants.
