MJBizMag November-December 2021 - 119

MJBizDaily Buyers Guide Cannabis Greenhouse Components
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CONSIDER BENCH LENGTH AND HEIGHT
Decide the best height and length for greenhouse benches before taking delivery. Removing benchtops to
chop down legs because you chose the wrong height equals operational downtime, Williamson pointed out.
Many cannabis growers are now starting to install shorter benches for mother plants, Williamson said.
Because those plants are typically quite tall, having a lower bench height for them to sit on means fewer
ladders needed and less chance of employee injury.
Vertical racks based on pallet racking frames are nice for adjusting for plant height because rack heights
can be self-adjusted to accommodate different sizes of plants.
Williamson cautions against going for long benches, advising growers to choose benches no more than 40 to
65 feet in length.
" I've had rolling benches as long as 120 feet. It was great in theory that they were so long, but from a labor
standpoint, they weren't great, " Williamson said.
" Not only is it a long distance to travel, but it's a big climate to control. You can see pretty big temperature
swings depending on how well the greenhouse is set up between the back and the front of the row. "
TRELLISING AND IRRIGATION
Don't forget to consider trellising.
Many generic horticultural benching systems aren't built to accommodate the heavy-duty support
cannabis requires.
" Oftentimes, you'll see very weak (trellising tubes) that aren't well-braced. Over time, they start to flex in and
get loose, " Williamson said.
Irrigation is more complicated in automated benching systems, Williamson said. In non-cannabis
horticulture, automated benching systems are typically used with overhead or misting watering systems. But
cannabis growers often install drip irrigation to prevent disease.
Since irrigation is usually installed per table, use quick disconnects to save labor when it comes time to
rotate and move tables, Williamson said. It adds some time to the process but will still save labor in the end.
BENCH CONSTRUCTION AND INSTALLATION
Bench construction is essential to consider.
" You pay for what you get. Not all benches are the same. There's a lot of qualitative differences, "
Williamson said.
He recommends going to a factory or visiting another operation using the benching system before you
purchase it.
The facilities manager often will have hands-on experience, advising on what worked and what needed to be
adjusted or fixed, Williamson said.
Installation is another place where new cannabis greenhouse operators make mistakes. He's seen rolling
benches installed incorrectly with sharp galvanized metal edging that ends up injuring employees.
" It's not uncommon to buy a high-quality product that gets installed improperly. It won't function as
designed, " Williamson said.
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MJBizMag November-December 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of MJBizMag November-December 2021