Alternate Methods

In this course, we explore outdoor farming and greenhouses as alternate ways to grow cannabis. First, we talk about farming infrastructure and the unique challenges it presents. Outdoor cannabis cultivation operations can only adapt to nature, not control it. This course explores how this fact creates additional pressures for outdoor cannabis farmers and how those pressures influence every decision a farmer must make when setting up a new outdoor cannabis farm. We outline the key factors you should investigate when researching a potential site — questions about the climate, the soil, the water source, and the infrastructure in place. Then, we discuss the ways in which your site influences almost every decision you make, from crop cycle timing to field layout and day-to-day plant care practices. We also review ways in which farm equipment and advanced fertigation systems can improve the efficiency of your outdoor operation.

Then, we move on to greenhouses. Greenhouse cultivation can be a very successful approach to growing high-quality cannabis, but this production methodology has some potential drawbacks. In this class, we’ll first explore some of the pros and cons of greenhouse growing and examine some of the most commonly used greenhouse structures and the different kinds of covering or glazing applied to the structure’s exterior. Then, we examine various strategies for maintaining optimal growing conditions in a greenhouse setting. Finally, we take a brief look at some cultivation techniques used in greenhouses and explore how they differ from the techniques of other methodologies.