Six years ago this month, we launched the first print edition of Cannabis Business Times. In that time, we’ve grown significantly. We’ve launched the Cannabis Conference, which has continued to grow by leaps and bounds over the past 5 years. We also launched Cannabis Dispensary for retailers, and we created Hemp Grower in fall 2019 following the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill, which legalized hemp cultivation in the U.S.

The industry also has changed vastly in that time. Despite ample challenges, especially for smaller businesses, much of the change has been positive in terms of shifts in public perception and state policies toward cannabis. In 2016, just four states had legalized cannabis for adult-use (Colorado, Washington, Alaska, and Oregon). That number has grown to 19 today. And more than 5 million medical cannabis patients are registered with legal state programs in the U.S. (based on Cannabis Business Times/Cannabis Dispensary’s recent estimates).

In my time with CBT over the past six years, I have met growers of all kinds navigating these changes—those from the heart of Humboldt County to licensed cultivators who operate in medically legal states like Minnesota and Connecticut, where cannabis is regulated much like the pharmaceutical industry and cultivators are limited in number, to Canadian growers, who, despite operating in a federally legal industry, face their own challenges.

While I’ve seen much of the worst of the so-called “Green Rush”—the astronomical “green fees” charged to cannabis businesses for just about every service imaginable, investor and partnership deals gone bad, robberies, political corruption, lawsuits, and more—I’ve also seen the best of it.

The passion that exists in this industry—for the plant, for its healing potential, and for righting the wrongs of decades of prohibition—is incomparable to any other.

As too many of us know, however, passion alone does not make success. But it is what connects so many of us in the cannabis industry and keeps us pushing forward in this challenging business.

As former NFL star and Heisman trophy winner Ricky Williams comments in his interview with CBT’s Senior Editor Zach Mentz , “[What’s] important from my side is [cultivators’] attitude about cannabis, the plant. Some people are more interested in the business side, and of course we have to run a business … but for me as the brand, I feel like it’s my name, it’s my integrity, that what we’re doing is really about what I believe in.”

While passion might be wasted without a profitable business to carry it forward, the reverse is also true. I have cited this quote from a grower friend of mine often, but it is one that stays at the forefront of my mind: “If you aren’t passionate about cannabis, you won’t make it in this industry.”

Our mission, from day one, has been to help every cannabis cultivator and cultivation operation be as successful as they can be, to help all of you navigate industry landmines (from growing the plant to running the business) and come out on the other side.

I feel honored to be part of this industry and that CBT has been able to continue playing a role in helping all of you balance passion with profit. Thank you, our readers, for supporting our mission for the past six years in print, and to our advertisers for helping us run a business so that our passion can be carried forward for another six years and beyond.

The Pareto principle tells us that 80% of consequences are the result of 20% of the potential causes. But what about those 1-in-5 oddballs that can be encountered in cannabis production?

While infrequent, these lesser-encountered problems can negatively affect growth when they do occur. Therefore, simply knowing what they are can help you identify them and possibly avoid them in the future.

Physiological Oddities

Water stress symptomology initially develops along the leaf tips before damage expands inward toward the leaf midrib and base (Fig. 1). Initially, the leaf discoloration is a light brown. Knowing the irrigation history (frequency and duration) will help diagnose the problem. High levels of fertility (electrical conductivity (EC)) can also result in similar symptoms. Checking the irrigation water and substrate EC levels will provide the needed data to confirm the symptomology’s cause.

Sunscald of cuttings can occur when the young plants are placed in propagation (Fig. 2). During periods of intensive solar radiation or horticultural lighting, a light shade will help ease the transition and avoid the leaf burn. Shading should be provided to acclimate young plant material to environmental changes that occur from cutting stick to toning. With that said, heavy shading may result in extension growth and weak-rooted cuttings. Therefore, managing and manipulating the propagation environment to elicit favorable plant responses is required.

Epinasty of cuttings occurs when the rooting hormone IBA is applied at too high of a rate to cuttings (clones; Fig. 3). Cannabis is very sensitive to foliar applications of IBA, and the new growth will twist when the rates are too high. Fewer problems occur when the IBA is applied to the plant base.

Cannabis is extremely reactive to changes in photoperiod and light quality. Photoperiod sensitivity can occur on the shady side of a large mother stock plant (Fig. 4), even during the longest day of the year. Ample horticultural photoperiodic lighting used to provide long days will help avoid the problem.

Changes in leaf coloration can be caused by viruses, nutritional disorders, and mutations. Figure 5 highlights a yellow and green leaf coloration mutation of cannabis. Yellow leaves do not produce chlorophyll for plant growth, so usually these mutations are not an advantage to a plant, unless there is ornamental value.

Biotic Oddities

Dodder is a parasitic weed that was listed in Ernest Small’s “Cannabis: A Complete Guide” (Fig. 6). The orange to yellow weed intertwines with the stems and leaves and looks like orange spaghetti. For greenhouse production, the introduction of the problem typically occurs when the substrate contains seeds, so discarding the infected plant is the best option. Dodder-infected plants should not be transplanted into production fields.

Soil nematodes are microscopic, worm-like organisms (roundworms). Some nematodes are beneficial in the soil ecosystem, while other types are parasitic cannabis feeders and, in some ecosystems, over one million individuals can inhabit a square meter in contaminated fields. The roots form large bulbs when infected, which is the easiest method to identify the problem (Fig. 7). Soil nematodes have been reported as a disorder of cannabis.

Termites are not a common pest of agronomic crops (Fig. 8), yet they were reported in “Cannabis: A Complete Guide,” as having occurred in Africa. They were also found in cannabis plants in North Carolina. The feeding resulted in a girdling of the stem, leaving the upper plant to wilt and die.

Conclusion

Through observations and investigation, we have found several unique and infrequent disorders of cannabis. While these are uncommon problems, we were able to observe them in commercial operations. Nearly every pest seems to like cannabis. It is unlikely you, too, will experience them—but it is advantageous to know what some of these problems are.

Dr. Brian E. Whipker, Ph.D, is a professor of floriculture at North Carolina State University specializing in plant nutrition, plant growth regulators and diagnostics.

Patrick Veazie is an undergraduate researcher in the Department of Horticultural Science at North Carolina State University.

David Logan is an undergrad research assistant in the Department of Horticultural Science at North Carolina State University.

Paul Cockson is a Ph.D. student at the University of Kentucky’s Horticulture department. He is a part of the controlled environment horticulture (CEH) lab and is conducting research on plant nutrition and abiotic stress impacts on greenhouse vegetable quality and fruit development.

Dr. W. Garrett Owen is an assistant professor and extension specialist of floriculture, greenhouse, and controlled-environment crop production in the Department of Horticulture at the University of Kentucky.

Growing cannabis indoors is an energy-intensive process, and costs can add up quickly. To stay financially sustainable in an indoor grow, you must pay close attention to spending.

Cultivation expenses are usually divided into the growing part of the operation, and post-harvest activities, such as drying, trimming, packaging and delivery. Each side of the operation can strategize ways to offset costs.

Here are some tips and suggestions to help keep your cultivation costs under control until harvest.

Scale, Train, and Retain Your Labor Force

Start with a small labor force and scale up, but don’t leave yourself scrambling when the workload spikes. Labor demands can ebb and flow with plant cycles—increasing as crops mature and peaking at harvest when rooms need to be cleaned and replanted. Gather data on individual tasks and extrapolate how many workers you will need as you scale to full capacity, keeping in mind that you should always prepare for unexpected setbacks such as sick days and machine failures.

There are many hurdles involved in the process of finding good workers, and this has been exacerbated by the current pandemic- related nationwide job climate. Proper planning is even more critical now to assure that you’ll have an adequate workforce to produce your crops. Some states have lengthy labor approval processes that can tie up potential employees for months prior to clearance, so factor that window into your hiring timeline.

Vetting candidates for a strong employment record with longevity at past jobs and a progressive path of accomplishment can cut down on employee turnover. Bringing staff with previous horticultural knowledge or training can pre-position employees for success in your operation. Consider partnering with a cannabis training program or horticulture school to find qualified candidates who are eager to break into the industry. Galenas, for example, has partnered with the Cleveland School of Cannabis (CSC) and, currently, over a third of our staff is from CSC.

While you’re staffing up, focus on retaining good employees and utilizing their labor efficiently. Retaining good workers saves time and money, so create a workplace culture of collaboration, recognition, and respect; optimize benefits; and keep wages competitive. Employer transparency websites like Glassdoor can offer a glimpse at what companies in your market are offering their team members, and market research reports like the “Q2 2021 Cannabis Industry Salary Guide” by CannabizTeam can give you a better understanding of salaries in the broader cannabis market.

Start-up companies often use their first wave of employees in various capacities as general laborers until they can afford to hire more employees to specialize in specific areas. Cross-training can be the key to fluid workflows, allowing you to maintain flexibility in your workforce throughout the season. For example, trimming and packaging workers can be valuable in cultivation capacities with the proper training. Take advantage of slower times during the cultivation process to train post-harvest workers on tedious, time-consuming tasks like cloning, transplanting, trellising, pruning, and harvesting.

Plan your “all-hands-on-deck” days well up to a year in advance and make it clear that these days require mandatory attendance. Building out your cultivation calendar for a full year can help employees schedule events and vacations around critical times. When it comes to labor-intensive projects like flipping a room, for example, have stations and tasks planned out well in advance to avoid any wasted effort.

Manage Daily Tasks With Software

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software manages real-time business processes in a single integrated system. ERPs can collect and consolidate data across multiple platforms so it can be organized and accessed in one streamlined interface. Although the expense and build-out timeline of an advanced ERP may be cost-prohibitive for start-ups, the investment can save money in the long-term. There also are plenty of entry-level, low- or no-cost platforms that can help businesses of any size manage workflow efficiency.

At Galenas, we use a free platform that has made us much more organized and efficient when assigning and scheduling tasks for our 25 employees. Workplace management software programs can track when tasks are started and finished, display work schedules, gather metrics about task timelines, and set up repeating tasks. These programs enable growers to archive information about pest population patterns, flag items that need service, track inventory, and log preventative maintenance for machinery.

When used correctly, business workflow software can accelerate employee productivity, safety, and engagement. Standard operating procedures (SOPs) can be linked directly in task cards with photos, videos, or other training materials to save time while reducing operator error. The software can also assign tasks to individual workers well in advance so there is less time and energy spent delivering directions. Workers often feel a sense of ownership and pride when they’re included in team-based collaboration, as software provides an open avenue for communication.

Build in Automation

The level of automation in your operation will determine how often your workers must adjust environmental control points and plant management systems. Many cultivation facilities require workers to be present seven days a week, but that could be reduced with adequate automation and general remote surveillance.

Staggering shifts can help offset labor costs, but investing in automated irrigation, HVAC control, and light management can reduce the number of hours that employees need to be on-site. Automated systems allow cultivation workers to monitor and adjust setpoints remotely. Advanced environmental control systems provide precision climate management, and irrigation and nutrient control, as well as comprehensive data collection.

Advanced hardware and monthly software fees can come with hefty price tags, but the investment can translate to massive savings on energy and labor. There are low-cost systems and gadgets that work well in smaller setups and offer remote monitoring for a fraction of the cost, but the machine interface is much more limited. Ultimately, your cultivation automation needs—and budget— will determine your equipment selection.

Reduce Energy Consumption

Warehouse grows often incur substantial energy costs for HVAC, lighting, and irrigation systems. Utilizing LED lighting systems is one way to offset these significant electricity costs. LEDs can produce impressive flower in terms of both quality and yield, with dramatically lower energy costs than traditional lighting systems—which can rack up huge savings over time.

LED rebate programs that can further offset the upfront cost of LEDs may be offered in your area. Although the process for qualifying for rebates can be complex and time-consuming, you can apply them to new buildouts or when switching out lights in existing facilities to garner enormous savings. In its 2020 “State of the Cannabis Lighting Market” report, CBT reported that despite the dramatic explosion of cannabis growers using LEDs, only 37% of cultivators explored LED energy rebates, and only 24% completed their rebate applications. Consider running your lighting schedule during off-peak hours when possible to lock in lower electricity rates. In areas with cold winters, running your lights at night can also warm grow rooms. Alternatively, turning lights off during the hottest time of day can help save on air-conditioning costs, but may require adjusted employee work schedules (i.e., night shifts).

Preventative maintenance of all your HVAC equipment can help avoid big repair costs, so invest in a skilled maintenance person either as an employee or dedicated contractor.

To reduce energy consumption, consider energy-efficient HVAC equipment in your buildout. Two-stage HVAC equipment, with high and low settings, is superior to single- stage units in terms of efficiency. Variable speed equipment translates to greater energy savings, as these machines can adjust accordingly to use only the power needed to maintain setpoints. Variable Frequency Drives (VFDs) can ramp motors up or down during start and stop, adjust operating speeds, and extend the life of the machines. Growing vertically can cut energy costs by maximizing growing space in a climate-controlled room. HVAC units will need to be sized for increased loads, but a well-insulated room with stacked tiers can translate to an overall lower energy bill. At Galenas, from year one of production to year two, we saw a 32% increase in the amount of grams produced per KWH (kilowatt-hour) and attribute this reduction in energy use per gram to dialing in production methods and especially moving from two vertical tiers of production to three in the flower rooms.

Cooling rooms and decreasing light intensity during the last two weeks of flower can decrease chlorophyll biosynthesis, which may bring out the beautiful colors of anthocyanins in some cultivars. Cool temperatures can also preserve precious terpenes, many of which are volatilized at warmer temperatures, and cool and dry conditions can prevent mold growth. Consider offsetting the added energy costs by dialing down light intensity or reducing the amount of time that lights are on during this finishing period. Some growers shave an hour or two off of the light cycle in the final two weeks and report faster finish times and enhanced bag appeal resulting from the deep, beautiful color expression. As always, collect cultivar-specific data with shortened light cycles to analyze for yield before trying at scale.

Establish a Solid Supply Chain

Smaller cannabis supply stores, especially in medical-only states, are often designed to serve the home grower. Maintain good relationships with your local grow stores, for they can be important partners, but also reach out to large agricultural suppliers. Big ag companies are making great strides to cater to commercial cannabis cultivators, and many will build in discounts, match or beat prices, ship quickly, and provide excellent customer service. Buy in bulk from your suppliers when possible, but consider storage space before making big purchases.

Research which consumables you can buy locally. At Galenas, we pride ourselves on the fact that we purchase our soil, organic nutrients and amendments, agricultural supplies, cleaning products, and packaging from local Northeast Ohio companies. Buying local can drastically reduce shipping costs, especially for heavier items that you can pick up directly from nearby suppliers. Meanwhile, you can establish close relationships with neighboring companies that may offer to provide you with free R&D items. Plus, by buying local, you’re supporting the communities that you serve.

Commit to Integrated Pest Management

Integrated pest management (IPM) focuses on the prevention of pests through multiple strategies including exclusion, ecofriendly cultural practices, as well as biological and chemical controls. A good IPM scout can monitor beneficial insect populations and detect pest problems before they become widespread and affect yield and/or potency.

Accurate pest identification is critical to guiding your IPM strategy, but it requires advanced training. Many university extensions offer free and low-cost IPM training for general agriculture, which can be beneficial to your cultivation team.

Track pest- and/or disease-affected plants either manually or through a software application. When possible, cull disease-infected plants to control spread. Keep journals, analyze trends, and use collected data to prevent a pest outbreak before it happens.

With accurate identification and monitoring, along with smart mitigation strategies, you can save labor, time and money, while avoiding catastrophic crop loss.

Cultivating cannabis indoors is fast-paced, energy-intensive, and a relatively new commercial production model, so costs can quickly skyrocket. Well-laid plans with SOPs that detail every step and useful cost-data analysis, combined with insightful modifications, can keep costs under control and allow your indoor grow to maintain its financial sustainability.

Christine DeJesus is the director of cultivation at Galenas in Akron, Ohio.

Ricky Williams, a former NFL running back and the 1998 Heisman trophy winner, launched his Highsman cannabis brand in October, with a tagline of “Spark Greatness.” Williams’ goal is to break the stigma around cannabis while positively affecting change in the industry and world around him. The Highsman launch features three cultivars, marketed as Pregame (sativa), Halftime (hybrid), and Postgame (indica), with a message for each that focuses on the plants’ expressions through terpenes and the resulting feelings typically associated with each. Here, Williams, president and co-founder of Highsman, talks with Cannabis Business Times about his inspiration for the launch, how he and his team select cultivation partners and their cultivars, and more.

Zach Mentz: What inspired the launch of the Highsman brand, and how do you distinguish it from other celebrity or athlete brands?

Ricky Williams: As a brand, it’s a real story. Every single person that is involved with sports and every single person that enjoys cannabis has had the same exact struggles that I’ve been through. I think the way I’ve gone through them and been successful is a compelling story that I think everyone can vibe with—[the idea] that, “Wow, I can be myself and still be successful.” And I think that’s something everyone can relate to.

ZM: Fifteen or 20 years ago during your time in the NFL, you were scrutinized for your cannabis usage. What has it been like for you to go from being criticized to celebrated?

RW: Well, it’s a classic story. I consider myself a storyteller, so that’s what I love about the whole thing—the arc of the story. And it reflects so many other areas of my life where things that I was ashamed about I finally got over and realized, “This is BS” ... As a tough football player, you’re not supposed to be sensitive. But as I retired from football, I started traveling around the world consuming cannabis [and] I realized I am sensitive, and I started to appreciate it. Sensitivity helps me be aware of what other people need and how I can be helpful to them. And I started doing that, and it felt really good to me. I realized I’m more of a healer than I am a football player, and I started moving in that direction. I truly believe, beyond medicinal marijuana, what Bob Marley said [about how] cannabis is very healing because it opens our minds and it allows us to be ourselves. It gets us out of the judgment of being ourselves.

READ MORE: The Intersection of Cannabis and Sports: Q&A with Highsman CEO Eric Hammond

ZM: How do you go about sourcing your products and what does quality cannabis mean to you?

RW: Myself and really our team, we’re connoisseurs. We’re … finding the cannabis that we like, and so it’s part of our personal preference. For me, it’s flavor, which is translation for terpenes, because to me it’s about the experience, it’s about the taste, the flavors, and also the experience of how I feel. As we meet with our cultivators, all of us [test everything] and we have conversations about it, and when there’s an agreement, we know we found something quality.

ZM: What is important to you in a cultivation partner?

RW: [What’s] important from my side is their attitude about cannabis, the plant. Some people are more interested in the business side, and of course we have to run a business … but for me as the brand, I feel like it’s my name, it’s my integrity, that what we’re doing is really about what I believe in. It’s a vibe. There are certain things that people say that you can just pick up and you get a sense of their attitude, so I’m always looking for that resonance that it’s a true partnership—one where we are both growing.

ZM: With the Highsman brand, do you play a role in social equity in the cannabis industry? And if so, what is that role?

RW: I feel because I’m African-American and taking the risks that I’m taking, I feel like that’s my life on the line for social equity [and] that I’m actually walking the walk. It’s a personal issue to me because I’ve been pulled over and arrested on some bullshit, and I’ve had players that I coached [be arrested] … so yeah, it’s a major issue. And I’m definitely using my platform to speak on it, but it’s important to me to speak intelligently. I think it’s wonderful that [social equity] is becoming a thing that everyone is taking more seriously, but we need to involve everyone in the conversation. If it’s just the people at the top saying we need to do something, that’s great, but we need to involve everyone in the conversation.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.