There’s an art to growing cannabis for recreational and commercial purposes, but a lot of science goes into it. Explore our quick guide if you’re looking for tips to maximize commercial cannabis yields!
Control Your Conditions
While some growers may prefer their cannabis to get natural air and earth qualities from growing outside, you get much more control of your conditions when you bring them inside. Growing cannabis inside allows cultivators to control the temperature and humidity of their plants and adjust it to their ideal settings.
For example, during the vegetative state, it’s best for cannabis flowers to reside in a temperature between 70-85 degrees Fahrenheit and a humidity of around 50 percent. If you’re growing outside, you’re at the mercy of Mother Nature, and while you can do your best to coddle the plants, it doesn’t compare to the control of growing indoors.
Prune Delicately
Whether you’re growing cannabis or carrots, pruning is an excellent tool in a gardener’s arsenal to improve their plants and increase yields. Pruning involves cutting off and thinning leaves and branches that are smaller, unproductive, and blocking sunlight.
With fewer leaves and greater exposure to light, the cannabis flower can better focus its energy and resources on the more promising buds. The fewer leaves also mean better airflow for the cannabis plant—like giving it more room to breathe.
Pro Tip
Only prune during the vegetative state, as pruning too early can delay the flowering state or prevent the cannabis plant from reaching it altogether.
Harvest Wisely
Harvesting is a critical juncture of cannabis cultivation, but perhaps most important is when to harvest. Harvesting cannabis too early means immature buds, but harvesting too late could mean low THC levels—so when’s the right time?
Examining the trichomes is one of the most effective methods for gauging plant maturity. The trichomes are the tiny hairs on cannabis buds, best seen under a magnifying glass or jeweler’s loupe. Once these hairs go from translucent to a milky white, the plant is ready for harvest (for most strains).
Automate Your Operation
Another great way to maximize your commercial cannabis yields has nothing to do with the plant but with your operation. As valuable as the human touch and experience are in cannabis growing, automation will always be the most efficient way to get the most out of your crop.
Many machines and equipment automate parts of the growing process, like a cannabis sorter that quickly and efficiently sorts trimmed buds by size without damaging them. The machinery may cost more at first but will lead to better yields and long-term savings on time and labor.