Cannabis Cultivation - Indoor Crop Steering Basics with Growlink
I teamed up with Growlink to talk about Cannabis Crop Steering. Conversations around the idea of crop steering have increased in the last few years amongst cannabis growers. Some growers think that crop steering is just another way of discussing dry down, a farming technique that allow crops to dry out between watering or feeding to encourage a type of growth. Others believe that it mimics the natural conditions plants would be subject to if they were grown outdoors. Let's dig into it.
What Is Crop Steering?
Crop steering controls plant growth by adjusting environmental factors and irrigation events to promote a crop's outcome. Changing these conditions allows growers to steer growth toward the desired growth, typically vegetative or generative.
Young Vegetative Plants - Photo by Grow Link
What Is Vegetative Growth Stage in Cannabis?
Flowering plants go through various phases in their life cycle. After germination, plants swiftly grow larger leaves and stems become thicker. It's the maximum photosynthesis process, as plants gather light and convert it into carbohydrates to grow leaves.
During this stage, plants' need for nitrogen is at its highest.
What Is Cananbis Generative Stage?
The plant begins to flower and bud in the generative stage (also known as the flowering stage). Plant energy is directed toward flowering. If a plant is overly generative, it stops producing new leaves, consequently slowing or discontinuing fruit production.
Irrigation Steering
Because crop steering, or precisely controlling dry down rates, is associated with the repetition, duration, and timing of feeding schedules, automating irrigation can be a critical advantage in successfully achieving a crop steering strategy.
Fertigation injects fertilizers into irrigation lines and can be pre-programmed based on desired specifications. This allows you to pre-program feeding, water, and nutrient amounts while precisely monitoring your substrate's water content pH, EC.
Steering With Environmental Conditions
Climate impacts plant growth profoundly and, like irrigation, can be used as a valuable tool for steering crops. Adjusting temperature, humidity, or airflow will direct the plant energy towards the desired outcome; vegetative or generative growth stage.
Crop Steering techniques should be tested before rolling it out to your entire operation as with any new growing method.
How Automation Can Help
Since adjusting environmental conditions are the primary function of this crop steering method, automating these tasks provides an advantage. Sensors monitor environmental conditions, and that data can be used to trigger pre-determined rules.
Final Thoughts
When starting any new growing method, it's critical to test it prior to rolling it out to your entire grow. Choose your equipment carefully, and be sure to use automation equipment from a reputable company backed by reliable customer support, like Growlink.
If you like to dive deeper into the subject take a look at their Ebook on the subject: Click here
