2023 Guide to Cannabis Production - 6

TECHNOLOGY
INVESTING IN AN AUTOMATED DRIP IRRIGATION SYSTEM
Irrigation is vital to maintaining the uniformity that
customers will expect from a grower's product. Further,
automated irrigation can maximize yield potential and
product quality by giving your plants the exact amount
of water they need at just the right time and place. This
reduces waste, meaning less water will be needed than a
human-maintained system, ultimately saving money by
increasing water use efficiency.
Drip irrigation, flood floors, boom irrigation and
overhead nozzles can all be incorporated to help cannabis
cultivators grow their best product. However, whether plants
are grown on the ground, on a table or out in the field, the
most efficient way to deliver water is through drip irrigation
as part of your automated system. An efficient drip system
places every drop of water right in the soil for maximum
root uptake. When
a fertigation system
is added to the mix,
the perfect amount of
fertilizer and water is
placed without waste,
ready to give your
plants the nutrients
they need right at
the root.
" Not only does
drip irrigation as part
of your automated
system offer
uniformity across the
crop, it also allows
correction to mistakes
that may have been
made, " Vandersteen
says. " If too much
fertilizer was placed,
simply flushing out
the substrate with
additional fresh water
can help correct nutrient levels for the plant. "
Vandersteen added that growers should consider pressurecompensated
drip irrigation as it offers the most uniformity
at a very competitive cost per plant. Additionally, drip
systems are easy to customize and install.
These automated systems also allow growers to more
easily adhere to strict fertilizer regulations for commercial
sale. Vandersteen says the unique regulations for the
cannabis industry can put a strain on growers, but it's
something that automated irrigation can help with to
ensure your products can legally enter the market.
AUTOMATED IRRIGATION BENEFITS MORE THAN
JUST PLANTS
Automated irrigation and fertigation systems have
benefits beyond accurately delivering a calculated
amount of water with just the right amount of fertilizer
6 2023 GUIDE TO CANNABIS PRODUCTION
to every plant in the building. In terms of cost savings
and overcoming operational issues, automated irrigation
systems can solve a host of problems that many cannabis
growers face, including persistent labor shortages.
" When I'm working with cannabis growers to improve
or expand their irrigation capabilities, I always emphasize
that automated systems, especially drip systems, can solve
more than a single problem, " says Vandersteen. " But one of
the most important problems these automated systems can
fix is labor shortages. "
Automation means less reliance on human labor.
Controlled environments
are critical for the
efficient, consistent
growth of a product to
meet the strict regulatory
requirements for
commercial sale.
Whether that means being able to reallocate labor resources
to other parts of the operation or reducing the number of
staff required to run efficiently, automated irrigation can
greatly reduce overhead. Vandersteen says growers know
that higher profit margins are necessary for growth, and
by reducing labor costs
through automated
systems, owners can put
more toward reaching
their goals.
SUSTAINABLE
IRRIGATION
The value of
water can't be
understated. That's
why sustainability has
become a top-of-mind
topic for everyone
inside and outside of
the cannabis industry.
It's the reason to
consider options of not
only conserving what's
pumped from the
ground, but thinking
about how to capture
and use rainfall.
" When it's not
regulated in your
state, one of the most sustainable ways to save money on
irrigation costs is to capture water that falls from the sky -
it's free water, " Vandersteen says. " Instead of letting it go to
waste near your facility, catch it and store it so you can use
that water when and where you need it in your facility. "
He advises water silos can be built on site and tied
directly into irrigation systems. By installing this collection
option, cultivators can incorporate highly beneficial, free
rainwater into their irrigation program.
As the effects of climate change become more frequently
realized, having on-site water storage for irrigation will
become more and more common as public water sources
become less reliable due to drought.
" Growers need to be ready for anything, and that means
having technology, like automated drip irrigation, already
in place before it's too late, " says Vandersteen. " Then, if and
2023 Guide to Cannabis Production

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