In states like Colorado and Washington, the industry of indoor cannabis growing continues to advance at a breakneck speed. Along with these two, many states in the USA have opened their recreational cannabis market to consumers, and more are set to follow suit in the upcoming years. Today, thanks to modern innovations in technology, the cultivation of marijuana for commercial purpose is no longer a far-fetched dream. Cannabis is a cash crop that requires no demands, and cultivators who have the knack to handle the indoor venture know best that controlled environment is a key to healthy cannabis.
However, for amateur growers, growing cannabis is not a catwalk that involves easy profits, and friendly meetings with buyers. As other states are rolling into the competition, growers have no choice but to turn to technologies that are more efficient to grow their crop. With winter taking up more months in some states, the competition between cultivators within states is sure to increase.
With that in mind, here are five common mistakes that commercial marijuana growers make.
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1. Hiring an “Experienced Grower”
There are many experienced growers who really know their job in the marijuana industry, but not all are “masters”. A typical complaint that indoor growers have is that when they call in an expert, they were unable to handle the full responsibility of growing cannabis on a large scale. In most cases, master growers are small-scale growers, who have knowledge and skills on how to grow cannabis indoors in smaller grow spaces or pots. Such growers may not know enough about commercial systems, automated greenhouses and managing employees.
In the end, you will have no choice but to fire so-called experienced growers because the operations require people who have high specialization skills, and experience in commercial horticulture. If you are hiring a commercial grower for your medical marijuana project, be wary of bringing a grower whose experience comes from illegal and tax-free businesses. Most folks who learn their skills from wrong paths are not ideally suitable to run a commercial farm.
2. Hand Trimming
Most growers still stick to hand trimming buds. Although this may seem better to retain terpenes, it adds a significant cost to bring the final product to the market. Manual trimming takes a longer time, about six hours to trim a pound of cannabis. The average cost will turn out to be $120-$160 per pound. In the market, there is usually more preference for hand-trimmed products, but the reality is that trimming costs can be greatly reduces by using machine trimmers.
3. Installing Wrong Grow Lights
Most indoor growers have no idea about what kind of light will be suitable for indoor cannabis. Today, smart growers turn to LED grow lights to grow cannabis. These remain firmly entrenched as the most efficient grow lights with the smallest heat signature. They give growers the chance to target precise growth stages of cannabis. Growers can save 60% on power costs by using LED grow lights instead of traditional grow bulbs. They are easier to install and prevent the commercial grow space from excessive heat.
4. Not Paying Attention to Nutritional Requirements
Growers often make this mistake. Cannabis grown via hydroponics requires the right nutrient water to ensure proper yield. These days, most companies sell nutrient solutions for indoor plants, but there is an important factor to note. For an optimum yield of cannabis, growers must monitor the water level, the concentration of nutrients and pH levels. A balance in the concentration of the nutrients and water will ensure healthy growth. It is also important to monitor the temperature of the grow space.
5. Marketing and Sales
In the new legal marijuana business, most growers have big dreams of making huge profits and creating national brands even before they take up the venture or harvest their first crop. As mentioned earlier, commercial medical cannabis growing is not the same as basement or garage growing. A smart move growers can make here is to seek professional advice from experienced commercial growers first. Consult wholesalers who can buy your crops and help you by adding more value to the final product.
Growing cannabis indoors for commercial or leisure purpose can be fun and easy, as long as you consider the appropriate factors and avoid these common mistakes. Install Dorm Grow LED grow lights for a well-managed indoor medium and high yield of cannabis.
