Around twenty cannabis growers from all over Europe and the world gathered recently in Austria for a different kind of industry event: a one-day, invitation-only masterclass on cannabis propagation, hosted by Fluence at Flowery Field in Vienna, one of Europe's largest cannabis clone producers.
The day mixed lectures, live demonstrations, and a rare guided tour through a facility that normally stays closed to outsiders. "It was a good mix of practice and theory," says Theo Tekstra from Fluence. "We had a theory block in the morning, then a deep tour of the tissue culture lab and mother plant and propagation areas, and a practical workshop in the afternoon. Everyone got to see and take part in the whole process."
© Fluence BioengineeringA cannabis tissue culture clone in an early rooting hardening off stage demonstrated during the practical session at Flowery Field, showing propagation techniques under Fluence LED lighting.
A historic facility
Flowery Field was founded by Alexander Klima, a former law student who noticed that Austria's regulations distinguish between plants and their intended use. In practice, that means cannabis can be sold as an ornamental plant, as long as it's not harvested for consumption.
What began as a small shop selling houseplants alongside cannabis cuttings has since turned into a major production site, with hundreds of square meters of mother plants and a tissue culture lab where up to eight technicians work every day. The company now focuses entirely on cannabis clones, supplying customers across Austria and neighboring countries, often with same day deliveries for selected locations.
Standardized propagation
For Franz Joseph Sima, Fluence's long time propagation specialist, the goal of the masterclass was to show how standard procedures can transform the mother and cloning phases of cannabis production. "Many producers still face challenges in the propagation phase," he remarks. "At Flowery Field, these processes have been refined over more than twenty years. We wanted participants to see how a consistent, commercially viable system actually works in practice."
The workshop covered everything from mother plant maintenance and replacement schedules to light intensity, irrigation, and pest management. Attendees received the full set of procedures afterward. "The only requirement," says Franz, "was to be there."
© Fluence BioengineeringFranz Josef Sima, Cannabis Research & Plant Specialist at Fluence, guiding participants through mother plant maintenance and clone-cutting best practices.
From tissue culture to mother plant
Participants followed the full production chain, from tissue culture and virus testing in the lab to the cutting and preparation of clones. The Flowery uses PCR testing to ensure cultivar stability and cleanliness, a practice more common in pharmaceutical or ornamental horticulture than in cannabis.
"The contrast was striking," Theo says. "You have this sterile white lab on one side, and on the other a fully commercial clone factory based on mother plants. Seeing both under one roof gave people a real sense of scale."
Opening the gates
One of the main takeaways from the day was the atmosphere of openness. "In the Dutch horticultural industry, growers got ahead by visiting each other and sharing knowledge," Theo says. "In cannabis, everyone tends to close their doors. Events like this are a step toward changing that."
The small group format helped. What began as quiet observation soon turned into a back and forth of ideas, with growers comparing notes, troubleshooting, and sharing their own methods.
© Fluence BioengineeringAttendees of the Fluence Propagation Masterclass at Flowery Field, Vienna, a gathering of cannabis cultivation professionals from across Europe.
Interest in the event exceeded expectations, Franz and Theo both say, and Fluence is already thinking about repeating the format. "We may do another session at the same location, and possibly even one in the US. It's something people clearly find valuable. In cannabis, very few cloning procedures have been proven over a decade or more, so showing something that's actually stood the test of time makes a big difference."
For one day, Flowery Field opened its doors, its labs, and its mother rooms to a small but focused group of professionals. "In a sector where practical knowhow is usually kept close to the chest, that alone made it worth the visit," Theo concludes.
If you're interested in participating in future Fluence Masterclass events across Europe, please contact [email protected]
For more information:
Fluence
https://fluence-led.com/