As the cannabis industry moves towards the future, the level of expertise among cannabis growers is increasing exponentially. More and more horticultural knowledge has been picked up by said growers, demonstrating what growing at scale really entails. Before this, a number of small scale growers jumped into the legal cannabis industry trying to replicate what they had been doing on a small scale (this because of the illegal status of the cannabis plant that really prevented carrying out large-scale operations).
“With regards to the lack of knowledge, you cannot scale up what you have been doing on a small scale: this is not the right attitude,” says Darin Siples with Grow Glide, a vertical growing systems manufacturer based in the US. “Thing is, the price point per unit is going down. Therefore, growers need to be extremely efficient if they want to thrive in such a sector.”
Growing vertically
But as the industry matures, more and more growers are understanding the nuances of growing vertically, and how this is one of the most efficient and cost-effective solutions. “From a construction standpoint, most of the time it becomes clear that there is a lot of wasted space,” he explains. “We have found that anybody who has a 12-foot ceiling is capable of getting two levels. If they have this is of 20 foot, then you can have even three or more levels and also move around the components in the room.”
At the same time, one of the unique features of Grow Glide is the possibility to accommodate a grower’s skills and confidence. “Our vertical system is modular, which means that layers can be added at later stages,” Travis Schwartz with Grow Glide says. “For instance, you can start with a single-layer grow, and then down the line, when a grower becomes more confident, they can add more layers.”
“On top of that, another unique feature is the possibility to easily remove the shelves to clean them thoroughly, as well as the gutter and draining systems. Bluntly put, it is extremely easy to assemble, which allows for an even further optimization of the space, maximizing any kind of square footage you have.”
High adaptability
Additionally, Grow Glide has been conducting extensive R&D with a number of lighting companies in order to further fine-tune the adaptability to their vertical system to a wide array of growing methods. “Whether growers want to use LEDs, or HPS lighting, they can be easily implemented in our system, which can then be adjusted to the perfect growing conditions that those lighting systems require.”
The way to go
As an increasing number of states are regulating the mass production of cannabis, more people will become more aware of the importance of being efficient. “Growing vertically is going to be the way to go,” he points out. “From an a space and efficiency standpoint, you need less space and less requirements for workers. The grower that plans to go vertical from day one, they will do the best long term.”
At the same time, Grow Glide has many innovative IPs that can solve further issues allowing for greater efficiency. “There are a lot more areas that can be included in our system,” Travis says. “How do you increase workers' safety in a multi-tier system, how can you further increase efficiency: we are working towards solutions to address all these problems. On top of this, in a few months, we will have some innovative features to add that will improve different facets of growing, like airflow for instance.”
According to him, a few years from now the cannabis industry will be radically different, with the majority of growers growing vertically. “We are very well positioned as our system is modular and purpose-built, and therefore can be adapted to any kind of grower. Exactly because of this, we As a company, we can deliver our system very rapidly, which will as this is purpose-built and can already be available in the stock within a very short time. This will also greatly help the cannabis supply chain, as it will allow growers to start producing in a very short time.”
For more information:
Grow Glide
14600 Innovation Dr. Riverside, CA 92508
951.462.4111
info@growglide.com
growglide.com