Professional Marijuana Grower November-December 2018 Issue

FEATUREARTICLE by Jessica Batchelor and Will Kacheris Transitioning to Automated Light Deprivation C annabis producers have traditionally been held back by a lack of capital. This funding shortage limited growers’ access to the latest advancements in technology, which in turn limited their profitability. Fortunately for today’s grow- ers, the tides are noticeably turning. Business owners are now beginning to outfit their operations with the latest equipment, giving grow operations a profit and yield boost. Growers that use manual light deprivation techniques, like blackout tarps on a hoop house, know how te- dious it is to apply and remove them each day. This is time that could be better spent on optimizing growing methods. An engineered light deprivation system dra- matically cuts down on human labor and streamlines the growing process through automated and effective light deprivation. Engineered light deprivation systems were once a lux- ury that only few growers could afford. Now they are 26 • Professional Marijuana Grower rapidly becoming the industry standard. These systems have critical advantages over manual light deprivation systems and provide a solid return on investment. What an engineered blackout system offers is preci- sion control over the photoperiod. With total darkness that’s deployed precisely when it is needed, a major part of cannabis growing technique is already mas- tered. An engineered system will minimize mistakes and allow growers to harvest all year long. Moreover, automated curtains allow natural light in, making growers much less dependent on costly artificial light- ing. There are several specific ways these systems can be used to maximize the efficiency of a grow opera- tion. Go with Engineered Many growers are tempted to opt for turnkey blackout systems because of their affordability, but the disad- vantages outweigh the initial cost savings. Turnkey blackout systems are generally one-size-fits-all, and are November/December 2018

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