Professional Marijuana Grower March-April 2018 Issue | Page 20

Increased Yields
Although each individual harvest is smaller than a
typical outdoor harvest, the overall yield for the season
will end up being the same or even larger. An increase
in overall yield can be attributed to the fact that the
first set of plants is flowering under the July sun. This
means stronger, more direct sunlight with a higher level
of UV light. In addition to the intense July sun, a light
deprivation greenhouse lets a grower flower one crop
while another crop is in vegetative growth. As soon as
the first harvest is complete, the vegetative plants can
be put into the light deprivation greenhouse to begin
flowering.
Reduced Risk
By breaking up the outdoor season into two harvests,
a cannabis grower can reduce the chance of utter
failure. Since he or she will have two harvests, the
grower will not experience a complete loss if there is
a catastrophe, such as a heat wave or a pest insect
infestation. In other words, if one crop is ruined, a
grower will still have another crop to help negate his
or her losses.
Environmental Control for Greenhouses
with Light Deprivation
Aside from the shade material to cover the greenhouse,
the equipment needed to grow marijuana using a light
deprivation method is much the same as growing in a
regular greenhouse. However, there are some environ-
mental control and ventilation factors to consider when
operating a light deprivation greenhouse. In a light
deprivation greenhouse, the plants will be enclosed
during the hottest periods of the summer. This can
cause some ventilation issues because opening up the
greenhouse also allows light in; therefore, this is not
a viable cooling option for a light deprivation green-
house. Instead, a grower must cool his or her green-
house by using evaporative coolers, air conditioners
and/or mechanical fans. In the late stages of flow-
ering, high humidity can also become an issue. The
potential problems from high humidity can be aggra-
vated by the mid-summer heat. Fans, air conditioners,
or dehumidifiers may have to be used to help control
the humidity in a light deprivation greenhouse. All in
all, cannabis growers who wish to use a light depriva-
tion greenhouse must prepare for the temperature and
humidity that arises in an enclosed environment during
the hottest time of the year.
Light deprivation is a technique that will continue to
revolutionize outdoor cannabis cultivation. Marijuana
growers with the desire to set up an outdoor growing
facility should seriously consider a light deprivation
greenhouse. Even a grower with an existing green-
house may want to consider retrofitting his or her oper-
ation to include light deprivation techniques. Currently,
there are many light deprivation greenhouse kits and
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20 • Professional Marijuana Grower
March/April 2018