Want higher yields for less?
Every cannabis grower dreams of this outcome. Grow more with less work and expense.
The good news?
Automation systems make it possible. The better news?
They’re already becoming a must-have to stay competitive.
The cannabis tech market is booming. Research and Markets estimates the global cannabis technology market will hit $23.7 billion by 2030. That’s nearly quadruple its current size.
This tells you one thing loud and clear. Growers that don’t automate are going to fall behind.
Innovators like Sorting Robotics are at the forefront, creating advanced cannabis automation systems to help growers optimise every aspect of production. Automation is transforming the way cannabis is grown at every level from climate control to harvest.
In This Guide:
- The Necessity for Automation in Cannabis Greenhouses
- The Key Elements of Cannabis Automation Systems
- Automation and Yield and Quality Enhancement
- Beginning with Automation for Greenhouses
The Necessity for Automation in Cannabis Greenhouses
Cannabis cultivation comes with its own set of challenges, making automation essential.
The key thing to note here is…
Cannabis plants are more sensitive to their environment than most crops. Small changes in temperature, humidity or lighting can cause huge variations in yield and potency. Constant manual monitoring of these conditions can be costly and error-prone.
Automation technology provides a solution through constant monitoring and real-time adjustments. As per Cannabis Business Times, more than 68% of growers in the cannabis industry have already started using the technology to control temperature in an automatic way. The number is only expected to rise each year.
However, it’s not just about temperature.
Cannabis greenhouses must carefully control a variety of environmental factors at once. Lighting schedules must be exact. CO2 levels must be continually adjusted. Irrigation timing impacts root health and nutrient uptake. Managing all this manually is nearly impossible at a commercial scale.
The Key Elements of Cannabis Automation Systems
Cannabis automation systems consist of several main technologies. Let’s go over each element to help growers understand what they need for their operation.
Environmental Sensors
The backbone of any automated greenhouse, sensors monitor:
- Temperature and humidity
- CO2 levels
- Light intensity and spectrum
- Soil moisture
- Nutrient concentrations in the growing media
All of this data is sent to a central control system, which then makes automated adjustments in real-time to keep growing conditions within the ideal range. No human could achieve this level of precision or consistency.
Climate Control Systems
Climate control is more than just heating and cooling. Automated HVAC systems modify ventilation, humidity and temperature in accordance with the current stage of growth. Different phases like vegetative growth and flowering require different environmental conditions. Smart systems can recognise the growth stage and adjust accordingly.
Automated Irrigation and Fertigation
Water and nutrients must be delivered with precision. Overwatering leads to root rot. Under-watering stunts plant growth. Automated fertigation systems allow growers to apply the perfect amounts at the ideal intervals, based on sensor feedback.
This accuracy means less waste and healthier plants overall.
Lighting Automation
Different light cycles trigger cannabis plants to flower. Automated lighting systems make it easy to dial in the perfect photoperiod. They can also dim light intensity based on how much natural sunlight is available to save energy while still providing ideal growing conditions.
Automation and Yield and Quality Enhancement
Automation’s benefits reach far beyond simple convenience. They have a direct impact on the bottom line.
Consistent Product Quality
Manual growing processes often result in batch-to-batch variation. One harvest may be great, while the next falls short. Automation takes away that inconsistency, because it keeps the growing conditions the same for every cycle.
It’s critical for medical cannabis producers, who need to hit precise THC and CBD levels for both patient safety and regulatory compliance.
Higher Yields Per Square Foot
Environmental conditions that are ideal for the full growth cycle allow the plant to achieve its full genetic potential. Automation allows this to be easily achieved. Growers can almost always expect a 15 to 30% increase in yield after a proper automation system has been implemented.
Seems like a no-brainer, right?
Lower Labour Costs
Labour is one of the largest expenses for any grower. Automation is capable of handling the tasks that would otherwise require constant human attention. Staff can instead be used to focus on higher value activities rather than constantly monitoring gauges and adjusting valves.
Reduced Resource Use
Automated systems only use resources as needed. Lights dim when sunlight is strong enough. Irrigation doesn’t run unless soil moisture levels are low. The precision cuts way down on water and energy bills.
Better Compliance and Record Keeping
Cannabis regulations require extensive record keeping. Automated systems can record every environmental parameter automatically. That creates a digital trail that regulators can see, while also helping growers identify the best parameters for future growth.
Beginning with Automation for Greenhouses
Automating a greenhouse doesn’t have to be all or nothing. Many growers start small, and expand over time.
Start with the biggest problems first, like this:
- Climate Control Automation – Temperature and humidity influence every aspect of plant growth. Automating climate control will bring immediate and noticeable benefits. Positive ROI should be seen in the first couple harvests.
- Irrigation Automation – Second to climate control, automated irrigation and fertigation will have the next biggest impact. Proper water management is important for root health, nutrient uptake, and disease prevention.
- Lighting System Automation – Automated lighting is about energy savings, but also perfect control over the light cycle. LED systems with automated dimming offer the most efficient and flexible options.
- Full Integration – The real power comes when all systems are integrated and can “talk” to one another. Integrated platforms have a single dashboard for overall monitoring and control. AI and machine learning can further optimise settings based on real performance data.
Bringing It All Together
The data is clear. Automation systems are rapidly becoming the standard for cannabis greenhouse operations that want to compete.
The growers that have already moved to automation are producing more consistent and higher quality cannabis at a lower cost. The growers that have not are struggling to keep up, and pay more in labour and resources.
The technology is getting better all the time, while the cost comes down. Growers that implement automation now build advantages that continue to compound in the future. Growers who wait until later will only find it more difficult to catch up.
Growers that want to get started with automation do not need to invest in a full system from day 1. They can start with just a few elements that address their highest pain points and then continue to build out the automated system as it can be justified by the results it produces. Growers can build toward a fully-integrated system that is optimised to produce the maximum yield for the lowest possible cost.
The future of cannabis cultivation is automated. The only question is how quickly individual growers will make that adaptation.
