Vertical farming offers a transformative shift from traditional cultivation methods that can limit business growth and scalability. By utilizing vertical space, growers can significantly increase yield potential, positioning commercial cannabis facilities for higher profit margins and a competitive edge.

However, no cultivation method is perfect. Vertical farming presents minimal challenges, which can be seen as an opportunity. Still, while securing funding, equipment, and a quality team can be difficult, every obstacle has a corresponding solution.

Below are five challenges of vertical farming and how to overcome them:

1. Air Cycling & Airflow Management

Due to the density of plants and racks, ensuring proper airflow, air cycling, and exchanges in vertical setups can be difficult. To maintain environmental setpoints, you must address the capacity of your HVACD system, additional airflow systems, and the location of your supply air and return vents.

Solution

Pipp Horticulture’s VAS 2.0 Airflow Solution mitigates these challenges by providing additional, targeted airflow that optimizes air exchange in multi-tier setups. This system works hand-in-hand with HVAC, ensuring air circulates evenly through all levels, preventing dead zones, and improving overall plant health.

2. Phasing Your Build-Out

Building an entire multi-tier facility from the start without prior experience is risky. Growers often underestimate HVACD, electrical, and COG requirements, leading to inefficiencies and wasted resources. Phasing allows for better planning and adjustments based on accurate data and operational experience.

Solution

Implement a phased approach by starting with a few multi-tier rooms. This way, you can fine-tune SOPs, COGs, and infrastructure needs. Once you’ve dialed in these initial processes, you can confidently scale by applying lessons learned to the rest of your facility. Another option is to start with a single tier and add a second later, but you will need to make HVACD, airflow, and lighting adjustments along with this transition.

3. Defoliation, IPM Application, & Multi-Tier Access

Accessing plants on the second or third tier can be intimidating, especially for defoliation, pest control, and harvesting. Traditional solutions, such as scissor lifts or rolling library ladders, are inefficient and unsafe, limiting one’s ability to scale operations effectively.

Solution

Pipp’s ElevateⓇ Platform Solution offers safe, strong, lightweight access to higher tiers. This easy-to-use decking option simplifies the defoliation and harvesting process, eliminating the need for bulky systems, streamlining production, and promoting employee safety.

4. Planting Density & Genetic Adjustments

Adapting to a multi-tier system may involve adjusting planting density or plant height. Plants need proper space to receive appropriate inputs and the correct tier spacing to accommodate their morphology. Genetics can also dictate how you support the plants, defoliate and move air, and fine-tune your plant layout.

Solution

Choose genetics that perform well in multi-tier environments, modify planting density accordingly, and adjust SOPs for canopy management. Racking should have appropriate spacing between tiers to accommodate airflow by accounting for media size, plant size, lighting intensity goals, and fixture form factor. Additionally, plan for increased plant demand by expanding mother and vegetative operations to meet the needs of a larger flowering canopy.

5. High Capital Investment

Building a vertical cannabis cultivation facility requires a higher upfront investment than traditional single-tier setups. On average, a multi-tier operation costs about 60% more to construct than a single-tier facility due to the need for more equipment. However, the upfront costs are quickly offset by the increased production.

Solution

Talk to experienced multitier cultivators and solutions providers to make a well-vetted plan for your project. View the capital as a long-term investment and take advantage of rebates and efficiencies in equipment selection to reduce the operational costs of your facility.  Although initial costs are higher, the ability to double yield capabilities in the same footprint lowers the construction costs per canopy square foot below single-tier options and provides long-lasting operation efficiency. 

Industry leaders like Pipp Horticulture recognize that adopting a vertical farm system is a significant change for our growers. We offer an extensive range of online instructional videos, webinars, articles, and ebooks to prepare you and your team for this exciting new cultivation experience and help you make the most informed decision regarding your capital investment. 

We even created the Cultivation Elevated podcast for on-the-go listening. With information covering everything from clone propagation to storage, high-quality SOPs are constructed and managed much easier.

Conclusion

Cannabis cultivation is a skill that takes time to master—the same applies to vertical cannabis cultivation. 

You’ll inevitably encounter setbacks as you gain experience, make mistakes, and develop a unique methodology. Nevertheless, the final results are worth the dedication and hard work. Having support throughout the developmental process helps sweeten potential outcomes. For this reason, consider collaborating with Pipp on your next vertical farm project. 

Pipp Horticulture brings decades of industry knowledge from cannabis cultivation. We can guide you through each step of the racking design, layouts, and best use cases. Regardless of facility size, production goals, or industry background, we’ll share our experiences to ensure your team is ready to tackle any challenges head-on. 

As the cannabis industry quickly expands, cultivators must recognize the importance of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). Practical facility-wide guidelines promote consistency to ensure smooth operations. 

Not only are SOPs essential for maintaining the highest quality of your company’s products, but they foster open communication, camaraderie, and risk mitigation. The benefits of those team skill sets will ultimately improve your bottom line. 

At Pipp Horticulture, our cannabis cultivation team has over a century of experience. With thousands of rooms installed, collected customer testimonials, and measured data, we’ve witnessed the impact of good SOPs. We hope to inspire you to refine and refresh fundamental practices to ensure consistent outcomes in the garden. 

The Importance of SOPs in Cannabis

For cannabis cultivators, SOPs are often the heart of operations. Generally, SOPs direct the growing, harvesting, drying, and packaging of products to ensure that every customer receives the same results. Ultimately, this standardization helps with training, scalability, plant health, customer satisfaction, and company culture.  

Here are a few examples of SOPs in the cannabis industry:

Cultivation SOPs

Cultivation-specific SOPs pertain to anything related to direct plant interaction. SOPs are paramount for ensuring proper defoliation, replanting procedures, and integrated pest management. These foundations of fertigation, data collection, and systems management are necessary to prevent common grow room mistakes. 

Below are common examples of cannabis cultivation SOPs:

• Fertilizer dilution rates per growth stage
• Foliar IPM application procedures 
• Environmental setpoint itinerary for temperature and humidity
• Defoliation per growth stage 
• Propagation
• Taking cuttings from mother plants
• Measuring media moisture content
• Grow room sanitizing

SOPs for Vapor Pressure Deficit

But let’s get a little more specific about controlling the vapor pressure deficit and reacting to changes in the room. You need a calibrated emissivity adjustable IR gun set to 0.97 to collect accurate leaf temperature. Then, use that data to adjust the temperature and humidity in the space to achieve your target. Initial data collection must be accurate and consistent because it will directly impact setpoint changes for the room. Cultivation SOPs should include training on how to use the tool, where and how to measure the plant, where to sample in the room, and when to measure data.

With this information, you also have a valuable plant canopy heat map that shows where you could utilize more airflow to eliminate hotspots. Leaf temperature data can also help you adjust your HVAC system to achieve the ideal 78-82F temperature for vitality. In late-stage senescence, this data can drive the efficiency and effectiveness of color-changing cultivars.

Cultivation SOPs mitigate risk, increase plant vitality, and inform the application of mechanical solutions. Accurate and up-to-date information informs SOPs and translates to an efficient facility.

Processing SOPs

Similar to cultivation SOPs, processing policies dictate what happens after harvest, including handling, trimming, curing, packaging, and storing cannabis. These SOPs ensure consistency and safety while minimizing touches and protecting product quality. Ultimately, you honor the bottom line by protecting integrity and providing a consistent customer experience.

Here are some standard cannabis processing post-harvest SOPs:

• Drying and curing practices for loading the space
• Daily airflow strategy in curing
• Transitioning fresh flower from racks to mobile units
• Handling, sorting, packaging, and labeling final products 
• Hand trimming / Trim machine operation 

Administrative SOPs

Remember, constructive background work is what drives successful operations. Administrative SOPs concern leadership roles and overall facility management. These consistencies prevent miscommunications, streamline facility management, and facilitate informed decision-making. 

These are essential cannabis administrative SOPs to implement:

• Employee responsibilities 
• Waste storage, processing, and removal
• Safety procedures
• Emergency procedures (e.g., fire, chemical spills, personal injury, etc.)
• Leadership hierarchy
• Continued Compliance
• Monitoring supply levels (e.g., nutrients, fertilizers, etc.)
• Supplier communications
• Decision-making process for resource allocation

The Benefits of Implementing SOPs Now

As state mandates shift, cultivation facilities become more efficient, and the market becomes more competitive. SOPs provide an opportunity to streamline production and are the building blocks of continuous improvement. In short, SOPs are multipurpose handbooks that offer numerous benefits.

1. Consistent Results

The most consequential aspect of a well-developed SOP strategy is consistency. This element is necessary to achieve predictable results and manageable cultivation facilities. Consistency also translates to brand identity, thus directly impacting customer loyalty. Ultimately, SOPs can significantly streamline the entire operation. 

Moreover, SOPs provide the direction necessary to produce top-quality yields, time and time again. Of course, this roadmap will differ across facilities. However, the goal is to optimize plant expression by managing mechanical solutions. Running an efficient facility takes a well-informed, well-trained team versed in executing the proper gameplay.  

To know if your SOP system works, put yourself in your customers’ shoes. According to Michael Williamson, Director of Cultivation at Pipp, “Many people don’t consume their own product on a regular basis, but doing so might be the best form of quality control.”   

2. Bump-Free Operations

Even with established SOPs, cannabis facilities don’t run like well-oiled machines. Equipment breaks, mistakes happen, and the industry is never stagnant. You must be nimble. SOPs allow you to overcome obstacles faster, build a team, and empower others to thrive. 

Dante Metaluno, co-director of cultivation at Redbud Roots, expands on implementing staff roles with distinct responsibilities. He says, “Accountability is the main thing. We took several of our most experienced crew members and made them building managers. This change has gone wonderfully. We’re not just hopping around constantly, putting out these small fires.”

3. Reduced Expenses

You can lower the risk of costly errors remarkably with well-crafted SOPs. Thoroughly trained team members understand where their work stops and ends, helping minimize the urge to get involved in other areas where they need more familiarity. 

Some examples of where clear procedures will save money include:

• Reduced cloning failure rate 
• Reduced plant stress
• Efficiently utilize energy, water, and labor
• Reduced nutrient costs
• Prevention of costly employee errors

4. Risk Mitigation

Another perk of a SOP strategy is elevated safety measures. Cultivation SOPs for plant management are critical, but employee safety takes precedence. Clear directives on loading plants onto racks, safely accessing decking, and following IPM protocols can significantly impact workflow, plant health, and team satisfaction.  

In your SOP guidebook, include a comprehensive explanation of correctly using equipment and responding to emergencies. Equip employees with as much information as possible so they feel ready to tackle tasks confidently. Adequate training also prevents legal complications, worker’s compensation, or similar setbacks.

5. Maintaining Compliance

Laws and requirements vary significantly from state to state. SOPs tailored to these specifics ensure your facility remains compliant and legal, no matter what curveballs the government throws your way. Consistency eases any worries about employees making severe blunders, such as using the wrong pesticides, contaminating crops, or labeling products incorrectly.

6. Effective Training Guidelines

SOPs serve as a definitive template for employees to follow. Writing a step-by-step guide with onboarding information, core duties, and operating procedures means staff can seamlessly adapt to their roles–even if they regularly shift between departments.

According to Metaluno, “The best part is that, with the ebb and flow of labor, we can just move people from one building to another if needed. (Training) provides that consistency… We’ve definitely seen more engagement from top to bottom.”

Developing Practical and Adaptive Cannabis Cultivation SOPs

After acquainting yourself with SOPs, you can determine the best course of action for your unique cannabis cultivation business. Use these steps to facilitate positive strides as you establish your brand as a leading provider of outstanding products.

Communicate With All Staff Members

Communication is the key to successful SOP implementation. Keep everyone in the loop by scheduling meetings to discuss procedures and answer questions. Ask employees for their input and address any disagreements or clashing opinions. Most importantly, run through procedures independently to put yourself in their shoes.

Joe Zeller, the second co-director of cultivation at Redbud Roots, later adds, “Every person knows they can come to several of us (with their issues) and we’ll give them attention. I may not be able to solve a problem, but I can try and make a plan… take one step toward making things different.”

Keep a Copy of SOPs in a Central Location

SOPs are only helpful if they’re easily accessible! Place copies throughout the facility, especially department-specific documents. This way, team members can readily reach for these guidelines when they have questions or need immediate assistance. 

Williamson states, “It’s not really about who came up with the idea or who was right. It’s about making the machine better, stronger, and more efficient as a whole.”

Regularly Revisit Established SOPs & Update as Needed

As we already noted, cannabis laws are never stagnant. Because of this constant industry flux, you should routinely re-evaluate your SOPs to ensure operations continue running smoothly and safely. 

You should also update SOPs when expanding, growing new cultivators, or implementing different equipment. For instance, transitioning from a single-tiered facility to a vertical farm will require an entire overhaul of theSOPs. 

As Williamson explains, “SOPs are like an evolving document. As we level up, we update those SOPs… Figure out how to make them more efficient, productive, and profitable.”

Zeller continues, “The strongest quality is observation and communication. (These attributes) ensure we’re going to identify the weak points in our process.”

Conclusion

SOPs are the atlas of an exceptional business. Cultivators who acknowledge the gravity of standardization are better prepared for potential obstacles, helping streamline operations from start to finish. 

Our equipment experts at Pipp Horticulture are happy to offer experienced perspectives on developing SOPs for vertical farming facilities. Navigating multi-tiered systems can seem daunting, but we’ll provide essential information to make the transition as easy as possible. We are interested in hearing more about how Pipp can improve operations. Contact us today for an in-depth consultation, or visit our resource page for additional reading material.

In our recent webinar, we discussed navigating the critical start-up phase of your operations—from initial concept and planning to commissioning and baselining. This session gave attendees the knowledge and tools to move smoothly from design to full-scale cultivation. 

They learned how to avoid common mistakes and build a strong foundation for long-term success. At the end of the webinar, we held a Q&A session to address viewer questions. Below are some of the top questions we received and their responses.

Q1: What is the minimum space required to start testing the operation of a production facility?

The minimum space required to start testing the operation of a cannabis production facility depends on your goals, scale, and intended market (medical vs. recreational). For testing purposes and early-stage operations, a general guideline is around 500 to 1,000 square feet. Here’s a breakdown of what this size can accommodate:

• Cultivation Space: A flowering room of around 200-500 sq. ft. can house approximately 30-60 plants, depending on your setup (vertical or horizontal growing) and strain specifics.
• Vegetative Room: A separate space of 100-200 sq. ft. for plants in the vegetative stage.
• Support Areas: Areas for storage, drying, trimming, and curing, which could take up an additional 100-300 sq. ft., depending on your operational flow.
• Laboratory or R&D Space: A small lab or workspace (50-100 sq. ft.) for recording data and adjusting variables can be essential for refining processes.

For more specialized testing operations, additional space may be needed for environmental control and possibly a cloning room or nursery area. Commercial-scale production typically requires larger facilities ranging from 10,000 to 100,000 sq. ft. or more.

Q2. How high should the walls be when using double-tiered racking systems?

The required height for cannabis production depends on whether you’re moving into an existing building or constructing from scratch. For small-scale operations, two-tier racks with 8-foot tall shelving in rooms with a 10-foot ceiling can be used, but these tight configurations should only be considered by advanced cultivators.

Optimized setups usually feature 12-14-foot tall racks for two-tier operations, with an additional 2-4 feet of headspace above the racking. This extra space accommodates essential equipment like HVAC+D systems, ducting, sprinklers, and other utilities, and serves as a thermal buffer to prevent heat buildup from affecting the plants on the second tier.

Q3: Are there different processes for cultivating different types of marijuana (e.g., Sativa, Hemp, and medical marijuana)?

While Sativa, Indica, Hemp, and medical cannabis share common growing practices, each has specific requirements tailored to cannabinoid profiles, desired effects, and regulatory constraints:

• Hemp Cultivation: Growers must meet legal THC limits and avoid stressing the plants to prevent THC production. Hemp is often grown in open fields similar to traditional crops.
• Cannabis Cultivation: Medical and recreational cannabis is usually grown indoors or in greenhouses, where environmental factors such as light cycles, temperature, and humidity can be tightly controlled. For example, shorter light cycles during flowering promote the production of cannabinoid-rich buds.
• Organic & Sustainable Practices: Many growers prioritize organic cultivation methods, appealing to consumers seeking chemical-free products. This is less of a concern with industrial hemp, treated more like a cash crop.

Q4: What is the importance of keeping records in cultivation?

Regardless of your cultivation scale, data collection is crucial. The goal is to develop a winning “blueprint” that consistently delivers the desired yield, potency, terpenes, and overall quality. A data-driven blueprint makes it easier to replicate successes and fine-tune processes for continuous improvement.

Q5: What are your thoughts on using solar energy in cultivation?

While we support the idea of using solar energy, several factors have hindered its widespread adoption in cannabis cultivation:

• High Initial Costs: The upfront investment for solar technology can be substantial.
• Energy Needs: Cannabis cultivation is energy-intensive, often exceeding what solar panels can provide.
• Space Limitations: Cultivation may require land that could otherwise be used for growing rather than solar installations.
• Regulatory Barriers: Permitting processes for solar installations can be complex.
• Intermittent Energy Supply: Solar energy is variable and may require backup systems, increasing costs.
• Financing and Incentives: While there are incentives for solar installation, not all cultivators may be aware of or able to access these financial benefits. Additionally, securing financing for solar projects can be challenging.
• Long ROI: The return on investment (ROI) for solar installations can take several years, which might not align with the financial goals of some cultivators.
• Grid Dependence: Some cultivators may prefer to remain connected to the electrical grid for more reliable or cheaper energy.

As the industry matures and sustainability becomes a priority, more cultivators may explore solar power as technology advances and costs decrease, coupled with potential changes in regulations and incentives.

Q6: Is Pipp Horticulture willing to set up operations in Bermuda?

Yes, Pipp Horticulture has installations around the world and a team dedicated to global sales and service. We are currently working with groups in Bermuda for non-cannabis controlled environment agriculture (CEA).

Q7: Does Pipp provide RCx services, and what is the cost?

Pipp does not offer RCx services at this time. However, you can reach out to groups like Zartarian Engineering and Catalyst BC for these services. Costs typically vary based on the size of the facility, equipment selected, and scope of work.

Q8: What are the best lights, CO2 levels, and growing mediums for indoor expansion?

The best lights, CO2 levels, and growing mediums depend on your company goals, budget, and grower experience. Our team can help you determine the best solutions for your specific project objectives.

Q9: Where can you find a list of third-party commissioning firms specializing in cannabis CEA?

There is not a single firm that can perform full commissioning, that we are aware of, but you can most likely cover full commissioning between 2-3+ companies that offer specialized services. Companies that our customers have worked with in the past include Zartarian Engineering (zartarianengineering.com) and Catalyst BC (catalyst-bc.com).

Cannabis Business Times (CBT) and Cannabis Industry Journal often publish directories and articles on service providers in the cannabis industry, including those focused on cultivation and CEA. They may feature lists of top consultants or engineering firms with expertise in cannabis. Additionally, the National Cannabis Industry Association (NCIA) offers resources, directories, and member connections, where you can find vetted service providers specializing in cannabis CEA, including commissioning and compliance.

Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) organizations like the CEA Alliance or CEA Grow sometimes maintain directories of specialized firms, and many are branching into cannabis as the industry expands.

Industry networking platforms, such as LinkedIn and MJBizDaily’s marketplace, can help you locate experienced commissioning firms by searching for keywords like “commissioning services,” “controlled environment agriculture,” and “cannabis.”

Trade shows and conferences such as MJBizCon, CEA Summit, and other cannabis cultivation expos often have lists of exhibitors and speakers who are consultants or firms in this space. These events frequently publish exhibitor directories, which can be helpful in finding industry-specialized commissioning providers.

Q10: Have you found success with branded merchandise for cultivation facilities?

If you’re referring to branded merchandise like hats, shirts, and other promotional items, then yes, we’ve found success depending on how you define it. While these items may not drive significant revenue, they play a valuable role in brand recognition and public exposure. Additionally, they aren’t subject to Section 280E of the tax code, which disallows deductions for expenses related to businesses involved in federally illegal substances, like cannabis. If cannabis were rescheduled, this would change, but for now, operators must follow Section 280E’s guidelines.

On the other hand, if you’re referring to branded cannabis CPG products, then yes as well. Developing a strong brand with thoughtfully designed packaging, logos, and an aligned marketing strategy is essential for success. Over the past decade, operators have increasingly invested in brand identity, focusing on the details of packaging to represent quality. 

For high-end or connoisseur brands, it’s especially important that product quality matches the caliber of the branding. Markets tend to respond poorly to high-end packaging if the product itself doesn’t deliver a similarly high standard.

Q11: What funding options are available for a micro-cannabis license in DE?

Securing funding through institutional lending can be challenging for micro-cannabis licenses. Many find success by raising funds through friends and family. Consulting with financial advisors experienced in cannabis financing is recommended.

Q12: Is there any chance marijuana will not be rescheduled in December?

While anything is possible, it is difficult to predict the outcome. We recommend staying updated with industry news and developments.

Get In Touch!

Contact Pipp Horticulture’s experienced team of indoor cannabis operators and designers to take the first step toward your vertical farming future!