Congratulations! You are a cannabis cultivator! You’re on the ground floor of an industry that is exploding and will continue to evolve and grow over the next years. You have gotten the land and you have started planting and harvesting. But, are you making the right moves to protect your business from the following five costly mistakes?
These mistakes are easy to avoid; but, you have to know what they are and how to avoid them.
Mistake #1 Bad strains
You may want to cut costs by buying bargain-priced seeds on Facebook or other online sources. However, questionable clones will kill your quality right from the start. You should avoid focusing strictly on price when making purchasing decisions. There are many reputable seed producers who evaluate and test their seeds to provide the most stable genetics.
Mistake #2, Inadequate environment
The environment is the key factor between a successful harvest and a failed crop. Anthony Shepherd, CEO of Shepherds Organics, has helped many growers build facilities with proper temperature, humidity, and air purification. According to Mr. Shepherd, “Growers coming from states like Colorado, where the humidity is only 25%, need to have proper environmental controls to dehumidify their grow rooms when branching out to states like Oklahoma, where the humidity is an average of 75-85%”.
Mr. Shepherd recommends seeking the advice of an experienced consultant to ensure your grow facility is designed to produce a consistent, reliable, and high-quality cannabis product. Key questions to ask are:
- Is the water pure and free of heavy metals? Is the watering schedule precise?
- Are humidity and CO2 levels consistent? Stable CO2 levels can give you a 30% higher yield.
- Is the soil free of heavy metals and pests? Many growers do not know how to read the label on the soil to make sure.
- Are your workers trained to keep the environment free of contaminants? Microspores can easily get into your grow rooms without you knowing if you don’t use proper clothing and protective measures as you cultivate.
Mistake #3 Overwhelming costs!!
Labor is a significant expense for most cannabis facilities. Automation reduces the amount of work and helps you control costs. Using equipment to automate services like watering, fertigation (which is watering plants with nutrients), and IPM (internal pest management) ensures consistency and reduces labor costs.
Mistake #4 Ignoring Compliance
Compliance is something almost every grower struggles with. Seed-to-sale compliance is mandatory in every cannabis state! A consultant can advise you on the systems and equipment needed, and provide the steps to be 100% compliant!
Mistake #5 Friends and Family
Many friends and family pool their resources and jump in to get a foot in the door of this hot industry. But, if no one is actually experienced with growing anything, your venture may have major problems, and soon. You aren’t growing corn; your crop is worth thousands of dollars. Getting some veterans in your operation and proper training for your family and friends is crucial.
All of these little details can make the difference between a successful and profitable business and losing thousands of dollars of product.
About White Eagle Coalition
The White Eagle Coalition empowers and enables cannabis businesses & entrepreneurs to enjoy industry-tailored insurance, banking, consulting, and legal services nationwide. UNITY leads to strength, and strength in numbers enables business owners to implement change and fully achieve the vision of the cannabis industry.
About Shepherds Organics
The consultants at Shepherds Organics have over 20 years of cannabis cultivation experience, and they are passionate about sharing their knowledge with new cultivators. They have seen cannabis companies flourish and fail, and know the steps to ensure that cultivators achieve stability and profitability. At Shepherds Organics, the mission is quality production in the most controlled, economical, and profitable way!