Setting up shop for King City Gardens certainly wasn't a walk in the park. After picking a location and applying for a license, the state of Ohio decided not to grant them one. It took them 5 years of litigation before they could finally get into the cannabis business. However, even in this instance, things weren't going to be easy for King City Gardens. Too long of a time passed since they picked their initial location, and they had to find a new one, which in itself wouldn't be a biggie if it wasn't that the company had a 1-year timeline to become operational or they'd lose their license. Richard Mursinna from King City Gardens rolled up their sleeve and undertake an apparently unsurmountable challenge, until their eyes landed on an old, dismissed K-Mart building.
Building from scratch
"We gutted the building and built everything from scratch," says Richard. The facility includes a mother room, clone room, three-tier veg, and eight flower rooms, seven of which are double-stacked, with one single-tier setup. "We were told single-tier was the only profitable model, but we're absolutely crushing it with double-stacked rooms," he adds.
As Ohio licenses are footprint-based rather than plant-count based, efficient use of space became a top priority. King City worked with its vendors to design vertical racks with 6-foot clearance and integrated catwalks to ensure safety and functionality. "It lets our staff work up high without using ladders."
Full environmental control The cultivation team uses Growlink automation, controlling each grow room through a six-zone system. "I can trigger irrigation from bed if I need to," Richard says. "Every input is tailored to the specific cultivar and stage."
Pheno-hunting is an ongoing process at King City. From an initial pool of 90, the team is refining a list of 45 top-performing cultivars, trialing 1–3 new phenos per room alongside commercial production.
Biosecurity in Ohio cannabis
In any large-scale cultivation facility, environmental control goes hand in hand with biosecurity. This is especially true in Ohio, where microbial testing thresholds are among the strictest in the country. For King City Gardens, this meant building out an IPM strategy that could meet both quality and compliance standards, while still allowing the team to work with mold-prone but high-value genetics.
Hands-on approach to IPM King City has four full-time staff members dedicated to Integrated Pest Management. During early growth stages, plants are treated with organic oil-based foliar sprays. After day 17 of flower, the team switches exclusively to beneficial insects and close monitoring.
"We try to avoid any oils late in flower," Richard says. "With 90+ genetics in rotation, issues are bound to come up, but we aim to catch them early." Nonetheless, mold remained an ongoing challenge, especially for strains that are particularly susceptible. "You can't just remove the tops every time. It's too much crop loss. We needed something more preventative."
Sanitizing the air to prevent mold
To address this, King City implemented ProGuard air purification systems throughout its grow and post-harvest rooms. "We started testing them about two months ago, and we've already seen a reduction in mold," Richard shares. Each room is now outfitted with five units. Richard also says that he has always enjoyed experimenting, not surprising considering he has a PhD in biochemistry. To better assess the effects of the ProGuard units, he's carrying out a slightly unconventional examination. "I've left some fruits in a room to see how well the ProGuard units delay the rotting process," he says with a chuckle.
The addition of ProGuard, combined with new SOPs and targeted staff training, has resulted in lower microbial counts and more consistent compliance with Ohio's testing standards.
Large multi-tier grow rooms with hundreds or even thousands of plants create serious challenges when it comes to preventing mold and mildew and still maintaining high-quality flower. Mike D'Ambra, Founder of Innovative Solutions, explains that ProGuard was built specifically for high-density, high-humidity cannabis environments, making it the ideal biosecurity solution for facilities like King City Gardens.
"ProGuard uses a unique process that turns moisture in the air into an ionized hydro-peroxide vapor. This vapor spreads through the entire space, actively finding and destroying mold spores, bacteria, and other pathogens around the clock. By working 24/7, ProGuard helps keep the environment clean without relying on constant spraying or costly mold remediation processes. One of the biggest advantages is that as humidity goes up, when the risk of mold is highest, the system automatically increases its sanitizing power. This is especially valuable when growing strains that are more prone to mold. Unlike other products that can be harsh and damage terpenes, aroma, or taste, ProGuard protects the plants without affecting their quality or unique terpene profiles. This gives King City Gardens the proactive defense they need while letting them produce the highest quality flower possible."
"We truly enjoy working with King City Gardens because they are dedicated to raising the bar for premium cannabis, and we look forward to supporting them as they continue to grow and lead the market," says Mike.
A shift in post-harvest
While early production focused primarily on yield and visual appeal, the company has recently refined its post-harvest processes. Strains are now harvested at their ideal time, dried to 11% moisture content, and sealed in Grove Bags for cure and storage. "This has made a huge difference in quality," Richard explains. "The smell is more intense, and the flower stays fresher for longer."
To maintain trimming throughput while preserving flower integrity, the team uses the Resinator trimmer. "With proper drying and timing, we've found it maintains our quality while helping us keep up with production volume."
Defining premium King City defines quality beyond just THC content. "For us, premium cannabis means full bag appeal, complex aroma, heavy trichome coverage, and high secondary compounds," Richard notes. One standout cultivar, Apples & Bananas, tests at 6.5% terpenes, up to 4% myrcene alone, with large, well-structured nugs.
The company's long-term goal is to build a brand as recognizable as major players like Cookies or Jungle Boys. "We want to be ready for federal legalization and broader market expansion."
For more information:
Innovative Solutions
[email protected]
www.innovative-solutions.org
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King City Gardens
12171 Omniplex Ct, Cincinnati, OH 45240
kingcitygardens.com