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Greenhouse PlanningForever Flowering Greenhouses
What Growers & Investors Need to Know: The cultivation laws in Oregon, Washington, Colorado and California are vastly different. Eric explains each states current cultivation laws and the reasons behind them. In addition to the best management practices for
growing cannabis in a greenhouse environment for each states climate.
Eric Brandstad is originally from San Joaquin County where his family has been commercially farming since 1862. Since starting with FFG, he has
toured and consulted with hundreds of greenhouse operators to help them understand how plants react in a greenhouse environment. After moving to
Grass Valley, CA in 2000, Eric started a small organic farm with his wife Bridgett. Together they grow wheatgrass for the local co-op and recently
added a Certified Organic Goji Berry and medicinal herb nursery.
Brandstad Farms
Our original agricultural crop was cherries.
Cherries
Brandstad Farm’s first year of operation was in 1862 and continues today as a family farm.
1862
The new industry for the family farm?
Cannabis
Cultivation Report
The major concern for Colorado wholesale cultivators is oversupply. If the price of cannabis gets too low, that could bankrupt cultivators that don’t have a way to unload the product they’ve harvested.
WHAT’S HAPPENING
Cultivators need better solutions for cannabis test ing posi t ive for pesticides, microbes, fungus and mold which can make an entire harvest obsolete.
Indoor grows are becoming less economical as overhead increases for lab testing, inventory, plant count, security, record-keeping, transport of cannabis and utilities.
All Eyes on California
The largest cannabis market in the state.
Los Angeles
The largest cannabis producing region in the United States and the world.
The Emerald Triangle
Many of the world’s most famous s t ra ins were conce ived in California.
Famous Strains
California is currently one of the most volatile medical marijuana states. However, California is regarded as one of the states with the best chances of legalizing recreational cannabis this year.
Why Greenhouses?Forever Flowering Greenhouses
Reasons businesses are moving from indoor operations to greenhouse operations
25%of operating costs
are utilities
15%of operating cost
are rent/mortgage
5%of operating costs are for security
SOLUTION TO CRIPPLING UTILITY COSTS
SOLUTION FOR YEAR ROUND GROWING
SOLUTION TO THE SECURITY CONCERNS
0
20
40
60
80
Indoor Combination Outdoor Greenhouse
Indoor GrowsThe vast majority of commercially grown cannabis is cultivated indoors. In part this is due to U.S. black
market tradition, as well as regulations in some states that prohibit outdoor grows.
Commercial Cultivation Financial DataForever Flowering Greenhouses
$43.26Greenhouse
$36.93Indoor
$14.23Combination
$4.97Outdoor
Greenhouse vs Indoor
Cannabis is not a winter hardy crop and retailers need fresh inventory year round. Greenhouses are the most expensive type of grow to launch, but they have significant advantages. Greenhouses can extend the outdoor growing year and allow for efficiencies, with a vastly lower utility bill than indoor grows.
Indoor growing can equal crippling utility bills. That’s why some cultivators are growing outdoors part of the year and why specialty greenhouse providers are starting to make headway in the marketplace.
AVERAGE CULTIVATOR STARTUP COSTS PER SQ.FT. BY OPERATION TYPE
Greenhouse PlanningVentilation is perhaps the most important component
in a successful greenhouse. Without proper ventilation, greenhouses and their plants become prone to a
myriad of problems.
Ventilation serves 3 major purposes
• Helps to regulate temperature.
• Helps ensure plants get plenty of fresh air that they can use to photosynthesize.
• Helps prevent pest infestation.
Hostile Environments
The plant pictured below has powdery mildew. Once it gets this bad, it is very hard to eliminate, especially this close to harvest.
Fungus
The plant pictured above has spider mites. Many molds and pests thrive in stagnant air, high humidity and heat.
Pests
The photo above is Botrytis, bud mold or stem mold. Mold first shows as brown leaves on the outside of the bud.
Mold
Some growers are unaware that they are operating a greenhouse incorrectly. The heat and humidity from poor ventilation will cause plants to become sick and fall victim to opportunistic
bugs, fungus and molds.
Greenhouse TemperatureWithout good ventilation, any greenhouse can become too warm, even in relatively cool weather. Believe it or not, more plants die from excess heat within a greenhouse rather than from the cold.
Summer Greenhouses
Cannabis is extremely sensitive to heat and will either wilt, stop growing or die. On a hot Summer day, a greenhouse with a diffused polyweave cover, open roof vents, roll-up sides and doors on both ends of the greenhouse will help to keep the temperature more even and will allow some of this heat to naturally escape.
This will result in decreased plant stress and allow photosynthesis to continue even when outdoor plants are suffering — and you won’t even need to run the big exhaust fans or evaporative cooling systems.
YEAR ROUND GROWINGThe grower creates more
control over changing seasonal weather patterns by harvesting in more favorable times of the year with regards to fall rains
and cold.
LIGHT DEP
Condenses 12 G/h purified water
TechnologyControlling the humidity in a close isolated greenhouse
Creates optimal conditions 65°F, 80% RH
and uniformity
Light Deprivation greenhouse
• Prevents humidity diseases • Prevents loss of CO2 • Less need for pesticides • Green technology + environmental
friendly
PREVENTATIVE
Technology BenefitsROI from energy savings is 2-4 years
according to energy costs, type of crop, greenhouse size and manner of operation
1• Creates optimal humidity for
growing cannabis • Better climate control • Better quality and quantity of
crops • Increases density of crops • Homogenous climate conditions =
uniformity
OPTIMIZES2• Saves energy (about 50%) ROI 2
to 4 years • A tool for growers to control
humidity and influence the crop yield
• Additional water (12 G/h) • Improves operational methods • Shorter growing cycle • Saves working hours
EFFICIENT3
YOUR GREENHOUSE NEEDS GOOD AIR FLOW
Your greenhouse needs vents to allow fresh air to move in,
but you should also have some kind of circulation fan to keep the air moving throughout the
entire greenhouse so that it will reach all of your plants.
FRESH AIR
Cold FrameCold frame greenhouses provide an economically feasible, easy to assemble
solution to year-round growing. Most popular in California and Washington.
The OGThe Original Gardener greenhouse is great for gutter connected commercial
structures. FFG’s automated blackout system allows for the possibility of year round growing on a large scale.
Most popular in California, Colorado, Oregon and Washington.
Retractable GreenhouseThe fully automated retractable greenhouse allows for control over
UV exposure. This allows for maximum growth and superior quality in any and all weather conditions.
Northern LatitudeNorthern Latitude greenhouses are the most flexible models for manual and
automated options. Capable of withstanding high snow and wind. Auto Flowerer Kits are optional.
Most popular in California, Oregon, Washington and Nevada.
Thank YouWe invite you to continue the conversation after the conference.
1 2
OWNER
FOREVERFLOWERINGJONATHANjonathan@foreverflowering.net
ERICFFGeric@foreverflowering.net
GENERAL MANAGER
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