Technology indeed has come a long way. The common person may think that this applies only to machines and computers. In fairness, they are partly correct. However, these days, we can also use technology in medicine and agriculture.
Advanced automation now exists in agriculture, from small homegrown gardens to large-scale operations. Factors involved in raising crops usually include humidity, lighting, temperature, nutrients, and water. We can control all these automatically by means of technology.
Raising marijuana is now done through marijuana grow automation where the factors needed to grow the weed are partly or entirely controlled by technology. Growing marijuana still entails a lot of work and to produce the highest quantity and quality possible, there is still a need for continuous monitoring and modifying factors through the plant’s growth cycle.
For industrial and large-scale growing productions, there is a need to introduce the right technology to make the venture more profitable.
Automation Systems
For small-scale entrepreneurs, the only technology that they may need when growing their crops is for the right lighting. However, for large-scale operations, marijuana grow automation is definitely necessary as applying this could save a lot of energy and time.
For instance, a fully automated system can allow the growers to leave their crops unattended even for periods of time which are fairly long. Here are some types of automation systems to consider for growing your cannabis plants:
Timers
The main staple of most automation growing operations are the timers. They’re also the simplest to install. With timers, you can facilitate the different part of indoor climate control and this could benefit the grower in terms of fewer labor expenses and avoiding the repetition of tasks.
You can either use a digital or an analog timer to regulate the lighting system. With timers, you can automate the lighting task at various points all throughout the plant’s cycle. It will only take a small adjustment to make the lighting fully automated. You can use timers on several factors needed for growth operations.
Total Climate Control
Climate control is important for plants grown indoors or in greenhouses. They will need extra attention to the regulation of temperature and humidity levels that would make them comfortable. Hygrometers are typically used in the monitoring of these important factors through the plant’s life cycle.
There are also devices that can regulate the amount of humidity in the air. In order to completely automate the variables which fluctuate, growers can simply attach humidity systems and temperature-regulating devices to sensors. This is a fairly cheap way to control humidity and temperature changes.
Automated Irrigation
Water is essential for a plant’s growth and survival. Fortunately, you can also automate the watering process. It’s a simple procedure which requires piercing tiny holes into the water pipe and making sure to position the holes over the plant’s root network. Using the drip irrigation system, water drips over each of the plant systems providing a steady flow for hydration.
For small-scale growers, this procedure is relatively cheap but not nearly as precise as the more sophisticated options. The latter, used by large-scale operations, can provide the right amount of water within definite timelines.
Aside from delivering water, the automated irrigation system can also provide nutrients in a method also referred to as “fertigation.” This is becoming very popular among large-scale producers.
Preventive Maintenance
Aside from the aforementioned advantages, systems for marijuana grow automation also have data-logging abilities. This means that they can identify problems before they can turn into major problems. Such capabilities become essential when the growing environment experiences temperature changes that are way above the normal limits. Just looking at the data log will already inform you how you can solve a problem.
For instance, according to the log, temperature fluctuations happen only at night. This means that the issue is probably related to air-conditioners. Without the log, the best you can do is to check the controller first.
You can have this type of marijuana grow automation system installed at a cost between $1,599 to $3,500 for each room. Then you can easily even out the cost by the prevention of further infestations.
Benefits
Many cannabis producers now depend on marijuana grow automation to better the production of their outputs. But for some, there is still some hesitation to go completely automated because of their belief that technology must balance human interaction with the plants instead of replacing it. Many producers still go with the traditional way of hand-watering and fertilizing manually.
Unfortunately, there is a greater margin of error with this style. Getting the formulations wrong or forgetting the required nutrients in a mixture are a few of these errors. With a marijuana grow automation system, you can easily avoid these issues. Consider the following benefits:
- The system will always ensure that the exact amount of nutrients get dispersed at a gallon per minute rate.
- The system reduces the amount of time employees must spend when watering the plants.
- Employees can spend the extra time doing other chores like pruning the plants. They need the proper training to make sure that the environment is just right. These extra chores done in the extra time can optimize their work potentials.
You may have to spend around $80,000 for a total installation of an automated system which will take up to 3 months. The package will include the full replacement of the irrigation system to put up the new units.
Good Meds, a marijuana raiser, has established a 20% – 40% increase in crop yield and has recovered its investment in just one harvest. To think that even just a few percentage points would have covered their initial investment in six months!
There should be no reluctance for consultations with the agricultural sector when cultivators get confronted with any issues about new technologies. Raising marijuana came out of the black market and prospective raisers don’t have the knowledge or agricultural background to do this “stuff.”
Raising marijuana has come a long way and has become a legal industry. The types of techniques and tools employed in its cultivation have also evolved. Because of this, the agricultural industry can provide you with the best answers regarding your needs on how to cultivate this once notorious weed.
