5 key considerations for cannabis growers: thriving crop environment

What are the elements of a thriving indoor or greenhouse environment for cannabis plants?

At Cannabis Conference 2022, Nadia Sabeh, founder and president of Dr. Greenhouse, answered this question and discussed crucial environmental control factors that cannabis growers should consider, from managing heat loads to dialing in vapor pressure deficit and more.

Sabeh said most cultivators want their plants to be productive, healthy and desirable—that is, aesthetically pleasing for the end consumer.

Cannabis is unique in that growers want happy plants until the very end of the grow cycle, she said. Then, cultivators want to “stress them to death,” which is what causes them to produce the desired qualities.

HVAC systems, in general, are meant to manage the growing environment through air conditioning, Sabeh said. Most cannabis growers use HVAC equipment to control climate—the temperature and humidity—as well as air movement and air quality, which can impact carbon dioxide levels, pests and pathogens.

Ultimately, she said, growers use HVAC systems to control the environment and thus control plant responses, such as photosynthesis.

“First and foremost, we are managing the energy balance of the room,” Sabeh said. “If you gain heat in the room, that equates to your cooling needs. If you lose heat from your space, that’s your heating needs. Moisture gain is your dehumidification, and on and on. We want to know: What is the balance of heat gains, heat losses, moisture gains [and] moisture losses? [That way], we know how to design, select, and operate your HVAC equipment to manage these energy inputs and outputs.”

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Photo Caption: Dr. Greenhouse Founder and President Nadia Sabeh
 

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