Designing a vertical grow system is the best way to maximize production and keep pace with the booming industry of cannabis production, but the process can feel intimidating. After all, vertical grow systems are cutting-edge technology. The good news is, anyone with the expertise to grow marijuana plants for commercial use can transfer that expertise to successfully implement a vertical grow system. After all, vertical systems rely on the same horticultural principles as traditional, horizontal systems — only optimized for efficiency. Keep reading for our best tips about vertical grow room design and rack systems.

Mimic the Outdoors

Marijuana plants thrive in an environment that simulates the outdoors, so the design of your grow room should make the plants feel like they’re outside. While this goal may seem counterintuitive to a vertical system, it’s achieved by applying the same principles you would use to encourage growth in a horizontal system: appropriate use of space and lighting.

In the outdoors, plants have space to spread; they aren’t piled on top of one another. So in your own grow room you want to limit crowding. Crowded growth spaces restrict air movement and limit the amount of light that’s able to reach each plant, stunting their growth and creating “dead zones” that limit production. 

Using the correct kind of lightning, and placing it correctly, helps plants to thrive. Aim for consistency in the distance between the light and the canopy throughout the plants’ life cycles in order to create a more stable, natural grow environment.  

The kind of light is important as well. In vertical systems for cannabis plants, LED lighting is used most commonly. LED lighting is highly customizable, allowing for easy placement within a vertical grow rack system as well as adjustments to the light output itself to best suit the needs of the plants. 

Utilize a “Sea of Green” Approach

A “sea of green” approach involves growing many small plants as opposed to a few larger ones. When grown appropriately, many small plants can actually produce more product more efficiently than a few larger plants. As an added bonus, they also can be harvested more than once per year, maximizing productivity. 

However, this approach requires maximum space for the root zone to avoid overcrowding. A vertical grow system achieves this goal without requiring extensive warehouse space, making it the ideal choice for productivity.

Rely on Experts

To minimize your budget, you might be tempted to DIY a vertical marijuana grow rack system, but doing so is unlikely to give you the best results and can be dangerous. Expert space designers can customize equipment for any operation’s needs while maintaining high safety standards and maximum efficiency. 

A good vertical growth system for cannabis should be versatile, so that it can change as your needs change. Features like adjustable rack height allow the system to accommodate various strain sizes as you make changes. 

The racks themselves should also be designed with your unique system in mind. Adjustments need to be made to accommodate the weight of soil or hydroponic grow mediums as well as the patterns of your workforce as they move through the grow room.

To learn more about the best design for your own vertical grow system, contact Systems & Space Inc. today.