Greenhouse PlanningForever Flowering Greenhouses

What Growers & Investors Need to Know: The cultivation laws in Oregon, Washington, Colorado and California are vastly different. Eric explains each states current cultivation laws and the reasons behind them. In addition to the best management practices for

growing cannabis in a greenhouse environment for each states climate.

Eric Brandstad is originally from San Joaquin County where his family has been commercially farming since 1862. Since starting with FFG, he has

toured and consulted with hundreds of greenhouse operators to help them understand how plants react in a greenhouse environment. After moving to

Grass Valley, CA in 2000, Eric started a small organic farm with his wife Bridgett. Together they grow wheatgrass for the local co-op and recently

added a Certified Organic Goji Berry and medicinal herb nursery.

Brandstad Farms

Our original agricultural crop was cherries.

Cherries

Brandstad Farm’s first year of operation was in 1862 and continues today as a family farm.

1862

The new industry for the family farm?

Cannabis

Cultivation Report

The major concern for Colorado wholesale cultivators is oversupply. If the price of cannabis gets too low, that could bankrupt cultivators that don’t have a way to unload the product they’ve harvested.

WHAT’S HAPPENING

Cultivators need better solutions for cannabis test ing posi t ive for pesticides, microbes, fungus and mold which can make an entire harvest obsolete.

Indoor grows are becoming less economical as overhead increases for lab testing, inventory, plant count, security, record-keeping, transport of cannabis and utilities.

All Eyes on California

The largest cannabis market in the state.

Los Angeles

The largest cannabis producing region in the United States and the world.

The Emerald Triangle

Many of the world’s most famous s t ra ins were conce ived in California.

Famous Strains

California is currently one of the most volatile medical marijuana states. However, California is regarded as one of the states with the best chances of legalizing recreational cannabis this year.

Why Greenhouses?Forever Flowering Greenhouses

Reasons businesses are moving from indoor operations to greenhouse operations

25%of operating costs

are utilities

15%of operating cost

are rent/mortgage

5%of operating costs are for security

SOLUTION TO CRIPPLING UTILITY COSTS

SOLUTION FOR YEAR ROUND GROWING

SOLUTION TO THE SECURITY CONCERNS

0

20

40

60

80

Indoor Combination Outdoor Greenhouse

Indoor GrowsThe vast majority of commercially grown cannabis is cultivated indoors. In part this is due to U.S. black

market tradition, as well as regulations in some states that prohibit outdoor grows.

Commercial Cultivation Financial DataForever Flowering Greenhouses

$43.26Greenhouse

$36.93Indoor

$14.23Combination

$4.97Outdoor

Greenhouse vs Indoor

Cannabis is not a winter hardy crop and retailers need fresh inventory year round. Greenhouses are the most expensive type of grow to launch, but they have significant advantages. Greenhouses can extend the outdoor growing year and allow for efficiencies, with a vastly lower utility bill than indoor grows.

Indoor growing can equal crippling utility bills. That’s why some cultivators are growing outdoors part of the year and why specialty greenhouse providers are starting to make headway in the marketplace.

AVERAGE CULTIVATOR STARTUP COSTS PER SQ.FT. BY OPERATION TYPE

Greenhouse PlanningVentilation is perhaps the most important component

in a successful greenhouse. Without proper ventilation, greenhouses and their plants become prone to a

myriad of problems.

Ventilation serves 3 major purposes

• Helps to regulate temperature.

• Helps ensure plants get plenty of fresh air that they can use to photosynthesize.

• Helps prevent pest infestation.

Hostile Environments

The plant pictured below has powdery mildew. Once it gets this bad, it is very hard to eliminate, especially this close to harvest.

Fungus

The plant pictured above has spider mites. Many molds and pests thrive in stagnant air, high humidity and heat.

Pests

The photo above is Botrytis, bud mold or stem mold. Mold first shows as brown leaves on the outside of the bud.

Mold

Some growers are unaware that they are operating a greenhouse incorrectly. The heat and humidity from poor ventilation will cause plants to become sick and fall victim to opportunistic

bugs, fungus and molds.

Greenhouse TemperatureWithout good ventilation, any greenhouse can become too warm, even in relatively cool weather.  Believe it or not, more plants die from excess heat within a greenhouse rather than from the cold. 

Summer Greenhouses

Cannabis is extremely sensitive to heat and will either wilt, stop growing or die. On a hot Summer day, a greenhouse with a diffused polyweave cover, open roof vents, roll-up sides and doors on both ends of the greenhouse will help to keep the temperature more even and will allow some of this heat to naturally escape.

This will result in decreased plant stress and allow photosynthesis to continue even when outdoor plants are suffering — and you won’t even need to run the big exhaust fans or evaporative cooling systems.

YEAR ROUND GROWINGThe grower creates more

control over changing seasonal weather patterns by harvesting in more favorable times of the year with regards to fall rains

and cold.

LIGHT DEP

EFFICIENT USAGE FOR ENERGY FOR HEATING THE GREENHOUSE

CONDENSATION OF HUMIDITY IN THE DRAGGER UNIT; ENERGY GAIN;

ISOLATED GREENHOUSE; NO VENTILATION, NO ENERGY LOSS;

AIR DISTRIBUTION CONCEPT PREVENTS HEAT LOSS OF THE PLANT

Greenhouse TechnologyControlling the humidity in a close isolated greenhouse

Creates optimal conditions

65°F, 80% RH and uniformity

Condenses 12 G/h purified water

• Prevents humidity diseases • Prevents loss of CO2 • Less need for pesticides • Green technology = environmental

friendly

PREVENTATIVE

Technology BenefitsROI from energy savings only is 2-4 years

According to energy costs, type of crop, greenhouse size and manner of operation.

1• Creates optimal humidity for

growing cannabis • Better climate control and growing

conditions • Better quality and quantity of

crops • Increase density of crops • Homogenous climate conditions =

uniformity

OPTIMIZES2• Saves energy (about 50%), ROI

2-4 years • A tool for the growers to control

humidity and influence the crop yield.

• Additional water (12 G/h) • Improves operational methods • Shorter growing cycle • Saves working hours

EFFICIENT3

YOUR GREENHOUSE NEEDS GOOD AIR FLOW

Your greenhouse needs vents to allow fresh air to move in,

but you should also have some kind of circulation fan to keep the air moving throughout the

entire greenhouse so that it will reach all of your plants.

FRESH AIR

Cold FrameCold frame greenhouses provide an economically feasible, easy to assemble

solution to year-round growing. Most popular in California and Washington.

The OGThe Original Gardener greenhouse is great for gutter connected commercial

structures. FFG’s automated blackout system allows for the possibility of year round growing on a large scale.

Most popular in California, Colorado, Oregon and Washington.

Retractable GreenhouseThe fully automated retractable greenhouse allows for control over

UV exposure. This allows for maximum growth and superior quality in any and all weather conditions.

Northern LatitudeNorthern Latitude greenhouses are the most flexible models for manual and

automated options. Capable of withstanding high snow and wind. Auto Flowerer Kits are optional.

Most popular in California, Oregon, Washington and Nevada.

A Frame and Gutter Connected

Thank YouWe invite you to continue the conversation after the conference.

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OWNER

FOREVERFLOWERINGJONATHANjonathan@foreverflowering.net

ERICFFGeric@foreverflowering.net

GENERAL MANAGER