The Role of IoT Solutions in Modern Cannabis Cultivation
Humans have been cultivating hemp for nearly 5,000 years. From our ancestors growing fibrous hemp in ancient China to modern-day cannabis cultivators nursing potent buds in precisely controlled indoor facilities, the science of hemp and cannabis cultivation has come a long way.
What innovations are shaping the future of cannabis cultivation?
Keep reading for a glimpse at a promising possibility.
What are IoT Solutions?
The Internet of Things (IoT) refers to objects that are connected to each other or the Internet in some way.
Smart devices, such as advanced thermostats and in-home voice assistants like Alexa, all fall into the category of IoT solutions. However, the application of this exciting technology extends beyond household applications. Innovative cannabis cultivators can leverage IoT solutions to create more efficient, profitable, and healthier grow rooms.
How Can Growers Incorporate IoT Technology into Cannabis Cultivation Facilities?
IoT solutions can revolutionize the agriculture industry, especially in indoor cultivation settings. Forward-thinking cultivators can implement the technology in several ways.
- Plant Monitoring: IoT devices can track soil nutrients, moisture levels, and temperature, allowing for precise monitoring of individual plants and growing conditions.
- Environmental Monitoring and Control: IoT systems excel at environmental control. This technology empowers growers to monitor the temperature, humidity, airflow, air quality, and light levels in their grow rooms, making minute adjustments as needed or creating automation to keep everything running smoothly.
- Other IoT Applications: The creative applications of IoT technology are virtually unlimited. Cultivators can leverage it for applications like facility security or product traceability.
One of the primary advantages of IoT solutions is that they make it easy for growers to act proactively, rather than reactively, to protect plants. The earlier the response to environmental or plant-level problems is, the more effective the solution will be.
Selecting the Right IoT Solution for Your Cannabis Grow
With so many options, finding the ideal configuration of IoT solutions for your grow room can seem daunting. There are a few key things growers considering IoT solutions need to keep in mind.
First and foremost, identify your cultivation facility’s specific needs. What are the most significant pain points faced by your growers? Are you combating mold or mildew? Answering these questions will shed light on where you should focus your first IoT improvements.
The physical space your grow room occupies is also important when planning IoT infrastructure. What systems are already in place? How big is your grow room? Some IoT solutions, like Chorus’s wall-mounted air quality systems, can be easily installed in any grow room with no downtime. Other IoT solutions might require updates to infrastructure that necessitate construction or renovation and, therefore, cut into operation time.
Finally, growers considering IoT solutions will need to decide on a budget and factor in downtime and renovation costs in addition to the price of the technology itself.
Preventing Mildew on Cannabis Plants with Proactive IoT Monitoring Systems
Plant pathogens like powdery mildew are some of the most common problems indoor cannabis cultivators face.
IoT technology may be able to ease that burden.
Smart systems enable growers to monitor the air quality of their grow rooms in real-time. Cultivators can either manually take preventative action to
protect their plants from harmful crop conditions like powdery mildew or set up automated actions using data gathered from the real-time monitoring systems. With IoT solutions, maintaining a pathogen-free cannabis cultivation facility is easier than ever.
Monitoring and Maintaining a Healthy Cannabis Plant with IoT
At the end of the day, all cannabis cultivators are simply trying to grow the most productive plants they can. Healthier plants mean higher-quality cannabis outputs and larger harvests, which translates to higher profits and a better reputation in the industry.
IoT solutions can help cannabis cultivators monitor every aspect of the grow cycle more closely than ever. From tracking the soil quality of individual plants to maintaining the air quality of an entire grow room, IoT solutions can help cultivators grow healthier, more bountiful cannabis plants. Plus, with automation, advanced monitoring, in-depth data collection, and smart dashboards accessible from anywhere, optimizing complex cultivation conditions has never been simpler.
The Future of Cannabis Cultivation: How IoT and Air Sanitization Will Maximize Yield
It’s evident in every industry that careful application of exciting, innovative new technologies is the way forward. For cannabis cultivation to keep up with the surge in technological advancement — and rising demand for cannabis products — growers need to embrace IoT solutions.
Contact Chorus today to learn how IoT technology can transform your cannabis cultivation facility’s potential.
