Category: Vertical Farming

5 Tips for the Ultimate Cannabis Commercial Grow Facility Design

commercial grow facility design with vertical racking

Don’t Just Start! 5 Must-Haves in Your Cannabis Commercial Grow Facility Design Checklist

An efficient commercial grow facility design is essential for a successful cannabis cultivation business. You may have the best cannabis seeds available, but if their environment is deplorable, it will lead to low yields, negatively impacting your bottom line.

Equipping your commercial grow facility with the right indoor gardening technologies could be the game-changer your operation needs to thrive.

For example, incorporating commercial vertical grow systems into your commercial facility helps you utilize otherwise wasted overhead space and increase acreage by over 200%. In other words, you can get 4-6 acres worth of produce from a single acre which translates to higher yields and returns.

You can do much more to ensure you get the best of your available grow space. Creating the ideal commercial grow facility design is a necessary step toward running a successful cannabis operation.

5 Tips for a Successful Commercial Facility Design

What do you need well-thought-out before launching your cannabis commercial grow facility?

1. Develop a Business Plan

A business plan is the foundation of a successful cannabis operation. It provides a road map for structuring, running, and growing your business.

Every business, including a cannabis grow facility, has both the administrative and operational sides which need to be bridged to ensure a smooth operation.

Having unrealistic production methods can create a disconnect between the above factors resulting in systematic failures or inefficiency that result in heavy losses. The failures and inefficiencies would demand costly redesigns during operation, upsetting the harmony of your cannabis operation.

At this stage, you can decide whether to opt for vertical grow racks or horizontal shelving, each of which has different complications and benefits depending on the available grow space.

For example, one may go for horizontal shelving to grow their cannabis canopies in a warehouse considering available capital. On the other hand, assuming similar financial muscle, another may choose to have their commercial grow facility designed for vertical grow systems and equip it gradually.

Upon reflection, the former may switch to vertical systems, which would be a costly endeavor. While the other will smoothly transition into industrial operation with a minimum redesign of production procedures and management of the facility.

A successful cannabis commercial facility design begins with defining clear business goals, laying down an actionable production process, and then harmonizing the two.

2. Architecture

Many architectural preliminary activities need to be done before getting your vertical systems and grow equipment installed.

A sound installation company should have these done to ensure your commercial grow facility design is optimized for maximum yields

• Site Survey

This is where the installation company visits the site to assess and measure the area. Then, the installation company should work collaboratively with your team to design a setup that optimizes your space vertically and horizontally for maximum canopy cover.

• Capacity Evaluation

Once the vertical farming solutions company gets the measurements, they can help you evaluate the capacity for your operation. This helps you align your business plan’s expectations with the projected canopy coverage, helping you make more refined/ realistic goals.

• Floor Plans and Drawings

An experienced vertical farming systems provider understands how to manage a given space. As a result, hiring an installation company to create floor plans and customized drawings for your commercial grow room is a sure way to maximize your available indoor grow space.

At MMI Agriculture, we offer the above services to ensure a sustainable transition or start with vertical grow systems.

The good architectural design of the space will ensure the essentials for the plants’ well-being, such as good airflow (managed by HVAC systems), grow lights, and irrigation systems, are intelligently installed. Such considerations ensure maximum output while lowering production costs in energy bills for a given space.

A successful commercial grow facility design relies on good architecture to make the most of available space and energy resources.

3. Vertical Farming Systems in Commercial Grow Facility Design

Vertical farming systems, such as vertical grow racks, and mobile carriages, are a great way to start a commercial cannabis indoor grow room.

Vertical grow racks are a commercial indoor growing system vital in helping utilize overhead space that would otherwise be wasted with horizontal shelving.

Vertical shelving allows you to increase output per acreage of your warehouse or skyscraper as you can have multiple tiers of shelving filled with cannabis canopies.

Moreover, unlike fixed systems where you have static aisles consuming valuable space, you can install mobile carriages that help save on space by only creating one aisle in your grow room. Hence, if you need to access the plants, you only create an aisle for that row.

The design of the vertical systems needs to be handy and versatile. The vertical grow racks should be sturdy enough to carry the weight of crops, lighting, and irrigation systems.

They also need to be resistant to agricultural chemicals and humid conditions in the grow room.

A suitable vertical farming system complements your commercial grow facility design. They are an expensive investment; hence should be durable and reliable, ensuring a good return on your real estate.

4. Safety in Commercial Grow Facility Design

As with every industry scale operation, accidents can be quite common, leading to significant losses in lost skilled labor and even reduced productivity from injured workers.

Water spills, falling shelving and trip hazards from equipment are among the most common causes of accidents in grow room setups.

You can prevent water spills by having hydroponic grow trays with proper drainage features.

Purchasing vertical shelving with anti-tip features is crucial in preventing accidents in seismically active areas. Anti-tip features keep shelving from falling over, reducing losses from the damage to commercial indoor grow systems and preventing injuries.

Moreover, with key innovations like the retractable mezzanine walkway, workers can be secure when reaching crops in higher-up shelving. Consequently, there’s enhanced workflow and hence increased productivity.

Also, ramps installed on railings that carry mobile carriages can help eliminate trip hazards enhancing overall worker safety.

The safety of workers is vital when considering your commercial grow room facility design, as their productivity rate sustains the output of your cannabis indoor grow operation.

5. Temperature, Grow Light, and Ventilation Considerations in Commercial Grow Facility Design

Apart from equipment, one of the high costs incurred by a cannabis indoor cultivator is energy costs.

It would be best to consider the energy used by various equipment such as lighting systems, temperature controls, dehumidifiers, and exhaust fans. All these are crucial elements of a grow room. Hence you need to have a design that ensures they are used efficiently.

Vertical systems can help maximize the utilization of key resources like exhaust fans, ACs, and lighting. A single source can serve a broader range of canopies spread vertically and horizontally in vertical growing systems.

Moreover, your commercial grow facility design should ensure good airflow, which is essential for removing stale air hence keeping optimum humidity levels for healthy plant growth.

The type of grow lights you choose also affects your energy consumption and the health of your plants.

For example, if you consider using LED lights for your cannabis canopies, the lights are initially expensive. However, energy costs are reduced because they consume low wattage while being gentle on crops because they do not easily scorch them.

When planning your commercial grow room facility design, consider how the climatic conditioning equipment affects production costs. Avoid buying equipment that will need to be replaced because it does not produce the output required to ensure proper airflow in your space.

You Can Nail Your Commercial Grow Facility Design on the Get-Go

You can do your commercial grow facility design the right way by creating a good plan. First, have your business plan simple and realistic, then get a handle on the various types of commercial indoor growing systems.

Finally, partner with the right installer of vertical grow systems. At MMI Agriculture, we not only install vertical systems but walk with you in the design phase to ensure you have the maximum cannabis canopies for your grow space.

Moreover, we back our products and services with a 10-year warranty to give you the peace of mind you need when transitioning and starting with a vertical farming system.

Profit From Your Commercial Grow Room Through Indoor Vertical Farming

commercial grow room under led lights on vertical racks

The Tested Way to Cultivate Cannabis Profits Using Indoor Vertical Farming

Here’s everything you need to know about how vertical farming can elevate your indoor cannabis commercial grow room.

As the world’s population grows, the supply of fruits and vegetables is falling 22% short of global nutritional needs. The expanding population outpaces the ability to feed itself, necessitating further innovation such as controlled environment agriculture (CEA) or vertical farming.

Modern cultivation problems include water shortage, land scarcity, and an ageing farming population. CEA is a solution working to address all of these issues and more.

Indoor commercial vertical growth has been found to boost crop yields by increasing arable space vertically per square foot and circumventing the land area limitation.

Humans have improved agricultural practices over time, and vertical farming is redefining urban agriculture to secure adequate, high-quality food for everybody.

What Is Indoor Vertical Farming In A Commercial Grow Room?

Vertical farming is growing crops vertically in stacked layers in a closed and controlled environment.

CEA controlled environment agriculture is a technology-based approach to food production that incorporates indoor agriculture and vertical farming. CEA protects crops from harsh external factors and ensures that they grow under ideal conditions throughout their life cycle.

Everything plants require at various phases of development is artificially provided in CEA or vertical farming. Your commercial grow room will need water, temperature, humidity levels, ventilation, lights, and CO2 available to your plants.

Indoor commercial cannabis cultivation necessitates purchasing LED grow lights, irrigation pumps and hydroponic systems to provide nutrients and water. Moreover, you’ll need fans, an exhaust system, dehumidifiers, and CO2 burners for your ventilation system and proper airflow.

Using vertical farming in your professional grow room eliminates the heavy use of herbicides, fertilizers, and pesticides which can be pricey and impair the quality of cannabis crops. Moreover, you can produce crops with 70 – 95 less water than in conventional cultivation, depending on the growing system. Vertical farming also proves superior to greenhouses in the yield produced per litre of water for a square metre of land.

Indoor vertical growing systems include; Cannabis plants growing in a commercial grow room on vertical grow racks.

Hydroponics – Hydroponics is a vertical growing technology widely employed in vertical farms that involve growing plants in a nutrient solution.
Aeroponics – Aeroponics is a vertical growing technique in which plants are grown in an air/ mist environment.
Aquaponics – It’s a type of farming that involves a symbiotic relationship between fish and plants. Fish create nutrient-rich excrement for crops, and the crops purify the fish’s water.
Soil – Even though vertical farming removes the need for soil, it remains a suitable medium for growing crops. Moreover, you can sterilize soil using hydrogen peroxide for indoor commercial cultivation, and there are natural alternatives to soil like coconut husks.

As cannabis legalization spreads, vertical farming proves as the preferable method for growing cannabis. CEA equips your commercial grow room with the technology it needs to achieve cannabis growing regulations such as seed-to-sale tracking.

This means that vertical farming allows for greater control (by automation) over the practicality and profitability of cannabis production.

Pros and Cons of Vertical Farming for Your Commercial Grow Room

Vertical farming technology has much to offer for a cannabis commercial grow room operation. Then again, some setbacks come with the technology. Here are a few things to consider when deciding to grow up.

Advantages of Vertical Farming for Your Commercial Grow Room

1. Customization

Vertical farming helps create a professional grow room as the systems can be configured to fit the available grow space. A vertical system can be easily adapted for your commercial grow space, whether in a shipping container, warehouse or skyscraper.

Most vertical systems providers bring in designers and advisors to assist in developing the ideal custom industrial size solution for your cannabis operation.

2. Automation

Vertical farming allows growers to automate cultivation equipment, resulting in higher-quality yields. Whether you need partial or complete automation, there are a variety of solutions to help control the irrigation, lighting, humidity, ventilation and fertigation for your crops.

This helps save on labor costs and time by eliminating repetitive processes and allowing your employees to focus on the critical tasks.

3. Maximizing Energy Utilization

Where you’ve previously invested in quality growing equipment but employed horizontal racks, switching to vertical grow racks will allow you to get more out of your equipment.

Vertical growing systems allow for good airflow while increasing output per square foot, resulting in healthier, more nutritious plants with better yields.

4. Plant Year-Round

Since you are planting indoors and in a controlled environment, whether it’s summer or winter outside, the inside environment is ideal for plant growth. Severe weather conditions can’t affect your plants, allowing consistent harvests throughout the year, improving profitability.

5. High-Quality Crops and More Yields

With the elimination of soil as the only grow medium, the plants are cleaner and easier to process. Crops are also kept free from pesticides, herbicides and most other chemicals, helping meet cannabis cultivation standards.

On the other hand, the stacked layers allow for space utilization both vertically and horizontally. This means you can have 4-6 acres in a single indoor acre and increase yield by over 200% for a particular space.

6. Sustainable and Environment-Friendly

Indoor vertical farming is primarily done in urban setups. The proximity to the consumer eliminates the cost of transportation of produce. Moreover, the products are within easy reach of consumers, increasing product freshness and allowing growers to make more money from their products.

Disadvantages of Vertical Farming for Your Commercial Grow Room

1. Not Sustainable for Small-Scale Farming

Vertical farming systems are great for all operation sizes; however commercial grow rooms benefit the most from this innovation. All the same, there is vertical growing equipment like tabletop caster units that can comfortably accommodate vertical growing for a household grow.

A professional grow room entails massive spaces that can support multiple tiers resulting in increased yields associated with vertical grow systems.

2. High Initial Cost

The purchase of vertical growing and environment control equipment can prove expensive. However, vertical farming has a good return on investment, making it beneficial in the long run.

3. It’s an Emerging Technology

There’s a demand to improve various aspects of vertical farming. For example, the multiple tiers can make it cumbersome to reach the plants; therefore, solutions like the mezzanine walkway are needed.

Notably, many other problems may arise, affecting the effective use of the cultivation method. Fortunately, companies like MMI Agriculture are investing in the field and developing solutions to streamline the industry.

What are the various solutions/ equipment available for commercial vertical farming?

Indoor Vertical Farming Equipment for Sale for Your Indoor Commercial Grow Room

Not all vertical farming equipment is the same. You need to source yours from the best providers. Some of the vertical equipment you can use to equip your room include;

1. Vertical Grow Racks For Your Indoor Commercial Grow Room

These are stacked shelving ideal for a commercial grow room. They are made of 16 gauge steel braced with steel cross and diagonal beams, making them among the strongest uprights in the market.

2. Mobile Carriages

These are vertical farming solutions that help maximize space by removing static aisles, and increasing productivity and available grow space.

3. Elevated Decking

This vertical farming solution specific to MMI Agriculture allows for easier access to plants located on higher elevations.

4. ABS Grow Trays

These are hydroponic trays made with strong and durable ABS plastic that allow you to plant crops on your vertical shelving with ease. These trays have a drainage grid that keeps water and nutrients flowing.

5. Tabletop Caster Units

These tables help take advantage of and utilize space that would be too small for a mobile system. They are customizable and mobile, making them perfect for a medium-sized operation.

Partner With the Right Installer for a Money-Saving Vertical System for Your Commercial Grow Room

Vertical farming systems are the best fit for a commercial grow room. It may be a developing technology, but it has proved effective in increasing yield for a particular grow space.

MMI Agriculture is a seasoned vertical system installer with a reputation for innovation and unmatched customer service.

We have the industry’s most sought-after vertical equipment, which comes with a 10-year warranty. We take pleasure in providing excellent service and vertical system installation knowledge.

Request a quote and enjoy a smooth transition into vertical farming.

3 Killer Ways You Can Invest in Vertical Farming

Vertical Farming Investment: 3 High-Return Ways to Invest

As the world’s agricultural sector evolves, it brings up new investment opportunities. One worthy green investment making some major noise is vertical farming.

Vertical farming is a good green investment that is making a lot of noise lately. It’s a new type of cultivation that huge corporations like Softbank are investing in heavily.

One current agricultural trend is the loss of fertile land, which is expanding due to increased industrialization. Furthermore, the world’s population is increasing, posing a global food security problem.

Vertical farming is not only a profitable venture but also a social solution with the potential to impact the world. Vertical farming is a technological approach that aims to address all the above problems and more that plague the agricultural sector.

Therefore, investment in vertical farming is an opportunity to ensure food security for future generations while also making a profit.

All said and done, what is vertical farming?

What Is Vertical Farming?

Vertical farming, also known as CEA, is the growing of produce on stacked shelves within a controlled environment.

Vertical farming is a type of agriculture that may be carried out anywhere, regardless of land availability or weather conditions.

Vertical farming helps grow more crops like cannabis canopies on the same surface area.

In other words, vertical farming has been shown to increase yields on acreage by over 200 percent. For example, you can get 4-6 acres of produce from a single acre thanks to this technology.

Moreover, vertical farming doesn’t need to be done on arable land. In fact, it’s being done in urban centers. By utilizing Controlled Environment Agriculture technology (CEA), you can farm in warehouses, skyscrapers and even grow tents at home.

CEA technology uses LED lights, ventilation systems, vertical grow racks, and hydroponic systems to produce the ideal climate for growing crops indoors. You can grow your cannabis plants yearly with vertical farming, regardless of harsh weather.

As for vertical farming market share, venture capitalists have pumped over 900 million into vertical farming startups as of 2020. Moreover, there are over 2300 hydroponic farms in the US and several more companies like MMI Agriculture in the industry involved in vertical farming equipment solutions.

Why Invest in Vertical Farming?

Although vertical farming may appear to be a novel concept, it has been in existence behind closed doors, pun intended. It has only recently gained traction as a viable method of growing crops and reducing the threat of food insecurity.

Vertical farming investment is both a social and profitable venture. This reality has piqued the interest of various major companies, for example

Softbank invested $200 million in Plenty
Google ventures in 2018 invested $90 million in Bowery farming
IKEA partnered to invest $40 million in Aerofarms.

These are vertical farming companies that grow crops and provide vertical farming systems solutions.

On the other hand, Companies are investing in vertical farming because:

Vertical Farming Uses Less Water with up to 90% less than conventional cultivation methods.
It Improves the Yield Quality – Vertical farming involves using fewer fertilizers and pesticides, resulting in high-quality foods.
There Are Reduced Transportation Costs – Vertical farms are common in urban centers bringing food closer to consumers hence lowering carbon emissions.
Reduces Food Waste – The food is near the consumer, fresh and better-tasting due to the controlled environment hence lowering the chances of food waste.
Cultivation Is Year-Round – Growing in vertical farming systems indoors means you aren’t affected by weather conditions; hence can grow all year, anytime, regardless of the season.

Moreover, the vertical farming market is expected to grow by 25% year over year through 2027 to reach $31.6 billion by 2030.

How to Invest in Vertical Farming

There aren’t many ways to invest in vertical farming as it’s still a relatively new industry.

However, individuals, investors, and big corporations are investing in existing farms, starting farms, and purchasing stocks and equity.

Big pharma, cannabis companies, and corporations are all interested in capitalizing on vertical farming as it becomes more popular.

The key to knowing the best vertical farming company to invest in is assessing;

Who is already investing in the company
What is their business model
And what technology they are using

It’s important to note that vertical farming investment is a capital-intensive endeavor. However, as the market matures, there may be better investment opportunities.

So, what are your options for vertical farming investment?

1. Start a Vertical Farm

If you got a warehouse with access to amenities like water and electricity, what you need is vertical growing equipment like vertical grow racks or mobile carriages, lighting and a ventilation system. With this in place, you can get your vertical farming investment started.

The initial capital in vertical farming investment is high; hence you’ll need to get your calculations right.

Partnering with the right vertical systems installation company should be high on your priority list. Such companies can provide you with blueprints or sketches for your grow room, allowing you to maximize your grow space and avoid costly alterations in the future.

Installation companies also provide various vertical farming solutions like the mezzanine walkway that help improve ergonomics and worker efficiency.

Despite the high initial expenses, the system becomes more cost-effective over time, making it a worthwhile investment.

Alternatively, you can start a homemade vertical farm with tabletop caster units to get a feel for the business before going big.

2. Purchase Vertical Farming Stocks

A majority of vertical farming businesses have yet to go public to be listed on the stock exchange market.

However, there are some noteworthy vertical farming companies to look out for. Examples include:

Aerofarms – The farm runs on aeroponics which reduces water usage by over 95%.
Bowery Farming – It’s an Agritech company established in 2015 already selling its products in supermarkets like Foragers and Whole Foods.
AppHarvest – It’s a developer and operator of vertical farms that has gone public and is listed on NASDAQ. It’s your best bet at investing in vertical farming stocks.
Plenty – It’s a SanFrancisco based vertical farming company with the highest valuation yet of $226 million. It’s been backed by big names like Softbank and Bezos Expeditions.

Although many vertical farming businesses have yet to be listed on the stock exchange, a few registered vertical farming equipment and supplies manufacturers have. Vertical farming stock to consider include:

GrowGeneration Corp
Hydrofarm Holdings
Agrify Corp
Urban-gro Inc
Village Farms International

Vertical farming has yet to show considerable promise in the stock market. Yes, the companies may have high valuations due to the high-level investors backing the vertical farming companies. However, it would be advisable to keep an eye on the trends before investing in vertical farming companies’ stocks.

Remember, it’s a budding industry; therefore, every year may bring new surprises, so be on the lookout.

3. Acquire Equity From Vertical Farming Companies

Even in the vertical farming field, startups are cropping up now and then. You can leverage this opportunity by purchasing equity.

Companies are coming up with novel solutions that could reshape the market not only in the United States but also in Europe.

Manufacturers and suppliers of vertical agricultural equipment and supplies have also shown potential. Investing in such businesses could pay off in the long run.

The best way to acquire equity is to be on the lookout for a fundraising round on crowdfunding platforms.

Notably, a vertical farming investment in equity demands a lot of cash, and hence you should weigh out your options

Is Vertical Farming Investment Lucrative?

What’s for sure is that most vertical farming companies have high valuations as a result of heavy investments from large corporations.

Whether this is a bubble or something noteworthy, time will tell. However, the technology is being adopted globally as a food security solution which gives confidence in the industry’s longevity.

At MMI Agriculture, we are invested in providing vertical farming solutions through the supply of vertical farming equipment and installation services.

We are an experienced installation provider equipping companies with high-quality uprights, providing efficiency and service.

How To Build a Commercial Indoor Grow Room

All You Need to Know Before Building a Cannabis Indoor Commercial Grow Room

When setting up an indoor commercial grow room, your success depends on optimizing your resources. Your design, equipment, grow system, and utilities need to be utilized most efficiently to ensure good profits.

The cost incurred with building an indoor commercial grow room is high; therefore, a proper setup will ensure a commensurate or even higher ROI.

There are various grow room types, such as grow closets, tents, and cabinets. These are for small scale to medium size businesses. However, if you want to get the big bucks, a commercial grow room utilizing vertical growing equipment in warehouses or skyscrapers is your best bet.

Warehouses are ample spaces for growing your cannabis, while a vertical growing system helps you maximize the space per square footage both vertically and horizontally.

Moreover, indoor commercial cannabis growing simulates the outdoors environment, which necessitates the strategic placement of various weather conditioning equipment in an otherwise well-designed grow room.

When launching a cannabis commercial grow room, important considerations include costs, design, and grow equipment.

Indoor Commercial Grow Room Build Setup Costs

According to Marijuana Business Daily, the average startup cost for a professional indoor grow room is about 75$ per square foot, versus $10 per square foot for an outdoor grow.

Indoor cannabis commercial growth is a costly option that must be managed with care to avoid wastage or losses. Despite its high price tag, it regularly produces high-quality crops compared to outdoor growth.

What are some of the costs of setting up a commercial grow room?

1. Climate Control

The health of your crops is heavily impacted by the climate control equipment set up to manage the humidity, temperature, and air circulation of your grow space.

This equipment involves purchasing dehumidifiers, CO2 burners, fans, and other ventilation equipment, which can drive up initial costs.

2. Lighting

Some commonly used grow lights include HIDs and LED lights. HIDs are cheap but emit a lot of heat, while LEDs have a higher price point but emit less heat. The heat that HIDs release may increase climate control costs, while LED lights can help you save money.

Therefore, the lighting system you select for your professional grow room might significantly impact your overall operating expenditures.

3. Shelving

Commercial cannabis indoor cultivation is cost-effective when incorporating vertical grow systems. Vertical grow racks give you shelving on multiple tiered grow space, helping you utilize what would otherwise be wasted overhead space. Moreover, you maximize installed ventilation systems getting you more bang for your buck.

4. Rent

A large facility offers the opportunity for increasing canopies but at the cost of higher rent. Therefore, it becomes prudent to utilize every square inch of precious grow space using mobile carriages.

Mobile carriages are portable, heavy-duty vertical racks that allow you to establish aisles just when tending to plants, saving on space. When compared to fixed systems (which create static aisles), you only need one aisle in your space, improving the ROI on your real estate.

5. Consumables and Irrigation Equipment

You’ll need to regularly restock materials like fertilizer, insecticides, and cleaning / sanitizing agents to keep your professional indoor cannabis operation working smoothly.

For maximum productivity and efficiency, you’ll also need a budget for an automated irrigation system that includes reservoirs, submersible pumps, and a water distribution system.

Cannabis Indoor Commercial Grow Room Design

How can you get the best of your indoor facility design to optimize your grow space?

6. Create a Design That Is Energy Efficient

HVAC and lighting are among the two most expensive components of a grow room. LED lighting technology can help you save nearly 50% on your HVAC bills hence demonstrating a link between the two technologies with costs incurred.

Vertical shelving systems also improve the grams per wattage per square footage. Energy conservation measures while leveraging vertical growing systems save energy costs.

7. Optimize for Labor

A good workflow should be considered while designing a professional grow room. A good layout should have a decent arrangement from cultivation to harvest. For example, the trim, dry, and cure rooms should be next to each other for seamless processing of crops.

The irrigation, lighting, and ventilation systems should also be automated to eliminate redundant procedures. Moreover, the vertical systems should incorporate workflow solutions such as the mezzanine walkway for reaching higher-up crops.

8. Allow Your Grow Style to Determine Your Layout

The design will differ whether opting for horizontal or vertical farms for your commercial grow room. Professional indoor growing aims to maximize the canopy cover without the need for costly future customizations.

Vertical farming is a bona fide money-saving option, and an experienced installation company can assist in the creation of a detailed design that eliminates the need for costly adjustments.

9. Consider an Experienced Vertical Farming Systems Company

It’s easier to work with a consultant who understands the jargon of architects and engineers than to deal with the design work yourself.

Also, compared to a ‘street’ architect, an experienced vertical system installation company is familiar with the system and can provide a better layout.

In fact, the major issue with indoor growing is there are no set guidelines to govern the designing of commercial cannabis grow spaces. Therefore a professional vertical farming consultant experienced in the systems design work and installation service can give you the rock-solid results you require for your commercial grow room.

Cannabis Indoor Commercial Grow Room Equipment

What grow equipment do you need to get your commercial cannabis grow room started?

10. Indoor Commercial Grow Room Lighting System

There are three types of lighting used in a grow room; fluorescent lights, high-intensity discharge lamps (HIDs), High-pressure sodium lights (HPS), and light-emitting diodes (LED).

The key to choosing the ideal lighting system is assessing the heat they emit, the proximity between your plants and lights for the case of vertical farming (as the heat may scorch the plants), and the cost of purchase and management.

Other associated types of equipment with lighting include ballasts and reflectors.

11. Indoor Commercial Grow Room Ventilation System

Fans that circulate air within the grow space are essential for the ideal ventilation system. In addition, it’s crucial to calculate the fan strength and determine the type of air intake, whether active or passive.

There’s also the exhaust system fitted with fans and a carbon filter to bring in fresh air and remove stale air.

You also need air conditioners (AC) to control humidity and temperatures in your commercial grow room. CO2 is also necessary for plant transpiration demanding CO2 Burners, which pump CO2 into your commercial indoor grow environment.

12. Indoor Commercial Grow Room Fertigation System

The fertigation system is responsible for providing nutrients to your plants. It helps cannabis cultivators produce a consistent harvest, which improves product quality.

It also allows you to monitor the pH levels of your water and soil. Notably, sensors may be required to automate the fertigation system, removing monotonous tasks and ensuring crop yields.

13. Indoor Commercial Grow Room HVAC and Dehumidifiers

Even though HVACs are made for temperature control, they are also helpful in controlling humidity. However, because humidity control isn’t their primary function, they may need to be supplemented with dehumidifiers.

Dehumidifiers are purposely made to control humidity levels, which reduce the burden on your ACs, ensuring an efficient system.

14. Indoor Commercial Grow Room Vertical Grow Systems

Vertical grow systems are shelvings vertically stacked that allow you to plant your crops in 1020 hydroponic grow trays.

The vertical grow racks, either as mobile carriages or tabletop caster units, give you the flexibility to maximize your grow space. They are sturdy to handle the weight of your plants, lighting, and irrigation equipment.

Start Your Indoor Commercial Grow Room With the Right Vertical Systems Specialists

The fundamentals of a professional indoor grow room revolve around costs, equipment, and design of the grow space. Having these three considerations well assessed is the bridge to your ideal commercial grow room.

A commercial cannabis operation can’t possibly be complete without vertical grow systems in place.

MMI Agriculture is a bona fide vertical systems installation company with years of experience designing grow rooms and supplying high-quality vertical grow racks. Our vertical systems are backed by a 10-year warranty, ensuring the best of both worlds in terms of functionality and durability.

Get in touch with us for a quote.

Ready To Level Up? How To Scale Your Cannabis Grow Operation

6 Top Factors To Consider When Scaling Your Vertical Growing Cannabis Operation

Scaling an enterprise in the vertical growing cannabis sector can be challenging, but that doesn’t mean entrepreneurs shouldn’t explore it. While starting and sustaining a cannabis business requires a significant amount of time and effort, scaling a cannabis cultivation facility is an entirely different experience that requires not only capital, but also intellect, strategy, and tenacity.

What Do We Mean by Scaling Your Vertical Growing Cannabis Operation?

Before you can scale your vertical growing operation, it’s important to understand the difference between growing an operation and scaling an operation.

Spend journal describes the growth in a company as when a business or operation adds new resources which result in revenue increases.

Scaling, however, is when revenue increases without a substantial increase in resources. For example, sending an email to a group of ten or ten thousand requires a similar effort when utilizing email marketing software.

Notably, in both processes, there’s an investment in new resources (like capital, employees, and tech). However, the goal is to reduce production costs as much as possible to enhance income without sacrificing output or product quality.

Key Challenges In Scaling A Company

• Capital

Deciding to expand your indoor operation means an investment in equipment, real estate, technology, and skilled labor, which are all costly.

• Increased Demand In Skilled Labor

As you advance from a mid-sized operation to a full-on commercial enterprise, you need to be knowledgeable in various disciplines of indoor cultivation.

You need to be acquainted with municipal regulations, ventilation systems, lighting, vertical growing systems, and cultivation techniques. You’ll need to grasp every aspect of these indoor farming fundamentals. This could create a knowledge and skills gap that needs to be filled with training or hiring new employees.

• Lack Of Standards

Because the cannabis sector is quite new, there are no established industry standards or best practices, which puts entrepreneurs at a disadvantage. Indoor growers must rely on standards like ASHRAE, which are designed for human habitation. As a result, cannabis growers are forced to rely on design work based on guesswork and ideas borrowed from other industries.

• Misapplication Of Traditional Equipment

Horizontal farms can work effectively in small enterprises, but vertical farming systems become more cost-effective when expanding into a warehouse. If you already have a warehouse and want to scale yields, vertical grow racks can help you enhance output for a given area by leveraging overhead space. You should also upgrade your environment control equipment like HVAC systems and low heat emitting grow lights like LEDs.

• You Need A Scalable Process

Many internal procedures may not be structured to accommodate the expansion as you strive to scale. You’ll need contingencies for problems you may encounter during the scaling process, so you’ll need to develop a strategy that will last and propel you through the process.

Here are some factors to think about when you scale your cannabis business for increased yields and profits.

Six Factors To Consider When Scaling Your Vertical Growing Cannabis Operation

1. Does Your Company Have the Capital to Scale?

Increased operation costs, such as utility bills, new labor costs, and equipment expenditures, are incurred during expansion.

Cannabis production appears to be a profitable business in the grand scheme of things, but it is not without its obstacles, particularly when it comes to legalization. Companies must pay a lot of money for permits, with some jurisdictions requiring a deposit of $100,000 before beginning a commercial operation.

There’s also the history of cannabis as an illicit narcotic, making it difficult to enter into a new market, such as a state that has recently legalized medical cannabis sale. There is a need to have some cash on hand to keep the business afloat throughout the unprofitable months of the launch.

2. Do I have The appropriate Space To Scale My Vertical Growing Operation?

The alternative to acquiring more real estate is to maximize the available space that you have vertically using a vertical grow racking system.

Vertical farming is planting crops in vertically stacked shelving to increase the output per square foot.

This decision demands relatively inexpensive capital investment in vertical grow racks or mobile carriages, which will provide mobility while also saving space.

When compared to horizontal farms, vertical grow racks allow you to stock plants on multiple tiers, increasing canopy cover per square foot by two to three times.

In vertical farming, it’s recommended to plant short cannabis varieties or shorten the vegetative stage to reduce the size of shoots. This strategy results in a manufacturing setup that fosters faster processing of crops, thus resulting in higher yields every season.

One downside of a vertical grow system is you may need to grow short cannabis plants and deal with the development of microclimates.

3. How Can I Avoid Microclimates In My Grow?

Microclimates are miniature ecosystems formed by plants in an indoor vertical system mainly due to poor airflow. Farmers use vertical farming methods to maximize available grow space by increasing canopy cover across different levels, making effective ventilation difficult.

The formation of microclimates in particular sections of your shelving exposes your crops to unfavorable conditions for plant growth which in turn can damage them.

Growing cannabis in tiered facilities has become much easier thanks to the introduction of sophisticated HVAC systems and cool-running LED grow lights. However, the proximity of plants to your grow lights generates airflow blockages, which is a problem. With each tier added, the proximity also increases transpiration, leading to high humidity and the creation of microclimates.

The solution to dealing with microclimates includes installing test points that help identify vulnerable spots. In addition, use environmental monitoring software connected to your HVACs to moderate conditions since it detects fluctuations in temperature and humidity and adjusts your HVAC settings accordingly.

Also, simply taking a walk in your grow room helps you identify areas with a dip in temperature. These dips in temperature can be remedied by placing fans in those areas.

4. How Will I Be Able To Access Those Crops On Higher Elevations Safely?

When you decide to use tier system farming to scale your operations, your workers may have difficulty securely reaching those crops located on higher elevations.

MMI Agriculture’s retractable mezzanine walkway is a vertical system solution designed to improve worker safety and convenience while working on higher elevations.

It’s an ingenious solution that can be installed at any height and accessed through the front aisle via ladders or scissor lifts. It is made of fiberglass and resin composite and is designed to handle heavy traffic while keeping your workers safe.

Moreover, the anti-tip systems fitted on our mobile carriages ensure worker safety while tending plants on shelving or preventing them from falling over in the event of seismic activity.

5. Will There Be Enough Demand For My Scaled Operation To Be Profitable?

Enterprises established in states where medical marijuana is legalized are likely to have a better bottom line.

Furthermore, as the cannabis leisure industry expands, sales are expected to improve. However, when the potential of a cannabis business is realized by more and more of the population with sales expected to soar, competition will become more intense as more people compete for licenses and space.

Cannabis businesses looking to scale need to focus on ensuring quality and consistency in their products. Mislabeling is a huge issue with cannabis products. Using improved cultivation methods like cloning will provide the uniqueness, and consistency consumers seek.

Transforming your company to be a vertically integrated cannabis operation that includes cultivation, manufacturing, and retail can help you command higher prices by cutting out the middleman.

6. Will I Have Enough Employees To Appropriately And Efficiently Care For My Increase In Crops?

Even though scaling is all about cutting expenses, it doesn’t mean you should stop hunting for qualified employees. They could be crucial in helping you increase your operational efficiency; as the saying goes, “a team is what grows a business.”

Cannabis software can assist smooth out operations by automating them. Cannabis software, such as seed-to-sale, ERP, and POS, can help streamline processes from cultivation to sale.

Moreover, with AI and machine learning development, cultivation on mobile vertical growing systems is more profitable. Because of the vertical systems, there is already a greater canopy, which is being perfected using machine learning technologies that constantly monitor crop behavior to increase quality and yields.

Check out our post “4 Top Vertical Farming Trends and Solutions for 2021,” in which we discuss the importance of automation in enhancing indoor cannabis growing.

Scale Your Vertical Growing Cannabis Operation Fast With Reliable Vertical Farming Systems

Scaling a cannabis business isn’t easy, but with the appropriate tools and strategies in place, you can get your business to where you want it to be.

MMI Agriculture assists businesses in scaling by delivering high-density vertical farming systems. We give our clients a peace of mind knowing that we have professionals ready to help with all aspects of scaling your operation, from a team of drafters who can design the layouts, to our nationwide install team who can install the system and ensure all is working and running smoothly.

Moreover, we back our service and equipment with a 10-year warranty as insurance on the posterity of your investment.

Let’s talk about how we can help you scale your grow operation today.

Maximize ROI For Urban Cannabis Agriculture With Vertical Growing Equipment & Expert Customer Service

Maximize ROI with vertical growing equipment

Scale Cannabis Cultivation Profits With Vertical Grow Racks

The use of vertical grow racks is a new cultivation trend that aims to increase production in indoor cultivation facilities. The system allows you to maximize unused vertical grow space by multiplying the yields per square foot. A successful indoor operation is not a guessing game; you must know what to buy, what it will solve, and how it will provide a return on investment.

Here are some of the essential vertical farming tools and services that the ideal cannabis grow room needs to get started.

1. High-Density Vertical Grow Racks

Vertical grow racks house your cannabis plants. They must be strong enough to support the weight of all the components of a cultivation system, which include, but are not limited to plants, lighting, drainage, and an air filtration system.

Vertical grow racks also help increase your grow space, allowing you to maximize your production. Notably, they help utilize overhead space that would otherwise go unused with horizontal farms.

MMI Agriculture manufactures multi-level vertical grow racks to help you maximize your horizontal and vertical space. We build them with cross and diagonal beams to provide the necessary strength to support your plants. Furthermore, they are made to last and are resistant to corrosion from the humid environment.

One important consideration in using uprights is the development of microclimates with the increased canopy cover, which will necessitate an automated and efficient ventilation system.

2. A Qualified Design Team

Because each grow space is unique, a layout designed to organize your grow space is required for maximum utilization of available resources.

When installing your grow racks, you’ll need a team to assess the space and create drawings that maximize the available capacity. Because no two grow space is the same, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to acquiring a vertical system for your operation.

We walk with you in the design phase, using the latest CAD and drafting technology to ensure that your grow operation is getting the most out of your available space.

A good design helps you create a reasonable budget for the vertical systems you’ll need to install. Our 3D models give clarity eliminating the possibility of costly rearrangements.

3. Hydroponic Grow Trays

Grow trays serve as a home for your marijuana plants. It is the platform where your plants will receive nutrients and water as they grow. The proper trays ensure proper root growth and thus higher yields.

You can grow your plants in a variety of trays, including reservoir trays with holes, reservoir trays without holes, and mesh trays.

Trays with holes and mesh trays are ideal for ‘automated’ water drainage for your plants. However, they can be risky when there’s lighting equipment attached to lower shelves in your grow racks. You need to monitor your drainage with these types.

On the other hand, trays without holes help reduce the chances of water leaking the floor and affecting equipment attached to your racks. They have deep bottom channels to prevent overwatering your plants.

Please read our article on Everything You Need to Know About 1020 Trays to learn more about hydroponic trays.

4. Tabletop Units On Caster Wheels

For a midsized operation, our tabletop caster units are the ideal solution for your operation. These types of uprights allow you to move your crops in between rooms.

They are designed for spaces where vertical rack systems aren’t feasible. Consider our tabletop caster units if you think of repurposing that guest room or extra apartment space to grow marijuana.

Thanks to their caster wheels, these units can be easily moved.. If you’ve decided on a location for your plants, you can lock the caster wheels to prevent them from moving.

Moreover, our units can house multiple tiers to accommodate as much canopy as possible. The caster units are easy to use when turning in tight spots or spaces, and they make your plants easily accessible.

Also, if you have a commercial operation, tabletop units are ideal for growing seedlings. The uprights’ mobility allows you to move the plants to a location where they can be transplanted to your shelving.

5. Mezzanine Walkway

Have trouble reaching for crops on the higher levels of your vertical systems? Our retractable mezzanine walkway is a piece of equipment built to solve this problem.

The mezzanine walkway is a patent-pending solution developed so that employees can safely and efficiently tend to plants located on higher elevations. The mezzanine is a heavy-duty fiberglass grate that is permanently installed with the system. When an aisle is created, the mezzanine extends out and locks into place, creating a safe aisle for employees to use. The mezzanine then slides back under its adjacent grow tray and lays dormant until the aisle is opened up again.

The retractable walkway improves worker safety and efficiency by providing a stable and sturdy platform to work while tending to the plants. They are made of fiberglass grating that supports continuous traffic up and down levels of the vertical systems.

The convenience of our retractable elevated decking and the time it saves employees makes it a worthwhile investment.

6. Air Filtration System

Air quality is often overlooked in indoor cultivation. Ventilation systems are designed to remove stale air from the grow space and replace it with fresh air from outside.

Most mold and fungi that can lower your marijuana yields are transmitted through the air. Moreover, poor-quality air can harbor harmful bacteria and unwanted pollen, all of which can impact the quality of your canopies.

Then again, cannabis plants are known to emit a strong odor, which isn’t harmful but can be bothersome to neighbors. These odors released by the plants or fertilizer are known as VOCs (Volatile organic compounds).

Air purification is the most effective way to remove odors and harmful plant pathogens. Popular equipment used in the air purification of a grow room include:

Intake filters– They clean the air taken into the grow room from outside.
Stand-alone filters– They filter and recirculate air within the grow space.
HEPA purifiers– They are small-scale air purifiers used on small grow room systems, for example, closets and cabinets.
Photocatalytic purifiers- These use specialized catalysts that create powerful oxidizers which can destroy molds and bacteria, ensuring clean air in your grow room

We’ve delved more into ventilation systems here in Ventilation for Your Grow Room: The Beginners Guide

7. LED Lighting

When establishing a grow room, you must create the ideal artificial environment for your plants to thrive. Lighting in the grow space mimics the effect of sunlight on your plants.

There are various types of grow lights like HIDs, fluorescent, and LED lights. LED grow lights are preferred as they save on electricity. Also, they emit a lower temperature compared to HIDs and fluorescent grow lights. The low temperature prevents the scorching of your crops and reduces the workload on your ventilation system.

Moreover, LED grow lights have the ideal color spectrum and light intensity. These lights provide a broad light spectrum that can aid in the transition of your cannabis plants from growth to flowering.

They are outfitted with diodes, allowing you to generate any light spectrum. As a result, LED lights provide a consistent environment for plants to grow naturally without the color of the light changing abruptly.

ION lighting is a leading LED grow light manufacturer specializing in designing the best LED lights for your canopies.

8. Mobile Components

Moving vertical racks loaded with canopies on wheels can be a difficult task. Unless you want to hire the Hulk, you’ll need solutions to lighten your employees’ workload.

By integrating mobile capabilities with our bulk racking, our heavy-duty systems are easily moved back and forth, helping to create an aisle so you can access your plants. MMI Agriculture provides three types of equipment to assist you in moving your carriages:

Tracks – We offer tracks with anti-tip capabilities with an optional ADA ramp to eliminate tripping hazards.
Stainless steel wheels with precision bearings – Our carriages roll on stainless steel wheels fitted with precision bearings to keep them held on the tracks
Drives and handles – The stainless steel drive shafts in our carriages are resistant to rust and corrosion. You have three handle options. Our standard option is a single-spoke mechanical assist handle.

You can move entire loads with MMI Agriculture mobile components smoothly and effortlessly. We make the mobile carriages even more user-friendly by including three gear ratios.

9. Vertical Grow Racks Installation Service

After you’ve purchased your equipment, it’s imperative that you get it installed correctly. What should you look for in a good installation service?

Insurance and licensing – Is the company licensed to install uprights? Are they also insured to cover any damages that may occur?
Experience– MMI Agriculture has a long history of installing vertical systems. An experienced installer can handle any problems that arise during installation.
Knowledgeable – The company should be able to address your concerns and put you at ease.
Reliable – A reliable company stands behind the products and services it provides. For example, MMI Agriculture provides a 10-year warranty on products and labor after installation.
Trustworthy – You will most likely be allowing installers into your home or warehouse and even giving them your hard-earned money. You need to know they have a good reputation, so you don’t have to be looking over your shoulder

Partner With the Right Vertical Grow Racks Installation Company

MMI Agriculture is an experienced, dependable, trustworthy, and knowledgeable provider and installer of vertical farming systems and equipment.

We collaborate with commercial cannabis farmers to design seamless indoor farms that make the most of every inch of available grow space. We have the best uprights on the market, whether you need a tabletop caster unit for your apartment grow space or vertical grow racks for your warehouse grow room.

Four Top Vertical Farming Trends And Solutions For 2023

MMI vertical racking with mezzanine growing cannabis

Vertical Farming Trends That Will Cultivate The Future Of Indoor Cannabis Farming

Are you aware of these four vertical farming trends that are revolutionizing the cannabis sector?

By 2050, the global human population is expected to reach 9.7 billion. Two-thirds of that population is expected to be in cities. This migration creates a need for innovation to improve sustainable food production to feed the world’s growing population. The problem, however, is a scarcity of arable land and natural resources in urban areas.

Vertical farming is one emerging agricultural trend that is helping to bridge the food demand gap in urban areas.

Cannabis indoor farmers are adopting vertical farming to help double or even triple their yields.

Vertical farming increases crop yields using 99 percent less land and 98 percent less water than conventional farming.

Vertical farming is managed by CEA (controlled environment agriculture) technology, which can be done almost everywhere, from skyscrapers to warehouses, or shipping containers. This progression is because indoor farms are stacked vertically rather than running horizontally on a plot of land.

Furthermore, the market for vertical farming is expected to grow from $3.1 billion in 2021 to $9.7 billion by 2026.

Notably, four vertical farming trends are influencing this innovative farming method and the agricultural scene as a whole.

1. Vertical Farming Operations Are Embracing Multi-Tier Grows Instead of the Standard Single Tier

Vertical farming equipment is essential for effective commercial indoor farming. These structures serve as farms, with plants stacked in trays on shelves.

A multi-tier rack system makes better use of unused cubic feet in overhead space. Going up means you won’t need to buy more land to grow more.

The racks are custom made and built with up to multiple tiers depending on state regulations, effectively doubling or tripling your available grow space.

MMI Agriculture is a market leader in multi-tier grow rack systems that are long-lasting and dependable. The mobile systems are custom designed to meet the client’s needs, providing flexibility and cost savings based on available space and size of the operation.

The vertical systems made with multiple tiers filled with plants to capacity can become cumbersome to move when installed on wheels.

MMI Agriculture mitigates this problem with a rolling bar system that holds your shelving in place and allows you to single-handedly move the racks. The mobile carriage will enable you to create or close aisles as needed.

Furthermore, as hydroponics takes center stage in the cannabis vertical farming space, MMI Agriculture has built vertical systems that accommodate these resource-saving cultivation methods, ensuring an efficient indoor farm.

Vertical farming, like any other solution, presents a challenge. Vertical farming must account for the emergence of microclimates. More tiers create various environments for each plant at various heights.

This problem introduces us to our second trend in vertical farming, artificial intelligence, which allows for microclimate management.

2. Artificial Intelligence (AI) For Vertical Farming

Other vertical farming trends to check out for in 2023 is the use of AI.

Incorporating artificial intelligence into vertical farming can increase productivity by 400%. Plenty, a San Francisco-based Ag-tech company, has used artificial intelligence to boost production and productivity.

Although the farm is only 2 acres, it produces 720 acres worth of fruit and vegetables. Vertical farming and production management with robots and artificial intelligence have made this possible.

The AI monitors light, temperature, and the environment of the plants. As a result, you can grow high-quality crops faster.

Furthermore, AI in agriculture is designed to help address labor shortages by incorporating smart irrigation and farming systems and other AI-based robots and technology. It reduces the need for personnel in a grow room. AI tools are also more accurate and faster.

The AI-powered robots are self-sufficient and can work 24 hours a day, seven days a week. This results in a better workforce to meet rising cannabis demand.

AI is also being used in farming to assist with data analytics. The tool can provide insights in real-time.

This action assists farmers in determining how to control pesticide application, indoor weather, irrigation, and fertilization. They can also accurately determine excess or missing nutrients in your growing medium.

This analysis is due to the AI’s ability to receive data from IoT (Internet of things) sensors that monitor climatic, environmental, and visual information from crop grow medium. The data is then used to train deep learning models, which predict the likelihood of disease occurrence.

The data also helps in predictive analytics. By analyzing market demand, farmers can forecast prices and determine the best time to plant and harvest their cannabis plants. This means that farmers can manage crop failure and business process risks. The data contributes to a new trend known as precision farming.

3. Precision Farming

The average American farm increased from 140 acres in 1935 to 434 acres by 2012. And the acreage continues to increase with modern farms of today.

Farmers use heavy machinery to cultivate large tracts of land. This situation presents a problem because they treat every acre of land the same. This type of farming is known as industrial agriculture. Although it boosts productivity, it comes at the expense of environmental devastation due to excessive tillage and input application.

Precision farming helps solve this problem. At the heart of precision farming is digital technology like IoT, GPS, cloud computing, automation, robotics, and sensors.

Precision agriculture uses digital technology to achieve optimal agricultural efficiency by measuring and adapting the variations in a crop’s environment.

The agricultural method brings in an information-based decision-making approach to farm management. This allows you to accomplish more with less.

The farming method has been critical to the expansion of vertical farming. The technology assists in analyzing the requirements of individual canopies, then it provides the best climatic conditions for their development.

Blockchain technology is also coming into the picture; the technology helps increase transparency in the supply chain. Consumers can understand the quality and origins of the products they purchase.

Blockchain tech complements precision agriculture as the consumers can appreciate the technology and build trust with the products. Knowledge of a commodity’s history also promotes best farming practices, which leads to environmental protection.

The key advantages blockchain technology bring to vertical farming are:

Transparency– Products are tracked from the farm to the retail shelf.
Security– Food safety has improved, and counterfeit items have been eliminated.
Streamlined Operations– You can easily keep up with regulations present in the cannabis industry.
Analytics– Intelligent market data is available to help with decision-making.
Customer Engagement– Through feedback, the farmer can better understand what consumers want.

4. Safety In Vertical Farming

The towering nature of vertical farming systems introduces the need for safety measures to be taken in their construction and use. There’s a push to enhance worker safety when tending to crops and remaining OSHA-compliant. The vertical equipment also needs to stay durable in a consistently damp and corrosive environment.

For regions with seismic activity, vertical farms are fitted with anti-tip systems that keep the rolling vertical grow racks from falling over.

MMI Agricultures takes the lead in worker safety by including the above features with more innovations like our patent-pending retractable mezzanine walkway.

The walkway is a lightweight, portable deck that allows your staff to access upper levels of MMI Agriculture’s high-density vertical rack systems. It eliminates the risk of climbing ladders to reach shelving higher up.

The retractable platform integrates seamlessly with the rack system for optimum productivity and safety. When done, it neatly tucks it into the racking system out of view and out of the way.

In addition, whether you have any of our new or existing racks, the mezzanine walkway fits perfectly.

Get Started On Vertical Farming

Vertical farming is the key to sustainable commercial cannabis farming, particularly in urban centers. Partnering with a reputable vertical systems provider will put you on the path to a profitable indoor operation.

MMI Agriculture is a vertical systems provider that works with you throughout the design and installation process to ensure your satisfaction.

We have cutting-edge vertical equipment and a nationwide installation team ready to build your dream cannabis vertical indoor grow room.

7 Must-Haves For Rolling Vertical Grow Racks For Your Cannabis Grow Room

Rolling Vertical Grow Racks commercial cannabis grow operations grow rooms

Rolling Vertical Grow Racks; A New Way To Stack More For Your Space

If you have the wrong grow room supplies, your operation was doomed long before you bought those tiny dark-brown cannabis starting seeds.

There are many components needed to have a successful and efficient grow operation. We are here to make sure that none of these components gets overlooked.

One of the most essential components of any indoor grow operation is racking, specifically, high-density mobile shelving racking and rolling vertical grow racks.

Why Do You Need Mobile Shelving Systems for Your Grow Operation?

Vertical farming aims to help you save space by building an agricultural space vertically rather than the conventional horizontal method.

Rolling benches are the new alternative to mobile benching/racking…but what’s the difference?

Mobile benches are basically multi-tier racks on wheels. Rolling benches, in contrast, are the same multi-tier rack but now on a rolling bar.

Using a rolling bar allows for one worker to easily move benches that are sometimes spanning up to 100 feet. This feature helps increase speed, efficiency, and worker safety when tending plants.

Also, the mobility of the racks helps provide significantly more grow space in your operation. Whereas with static, non-mobile units, you need an aisle for every section of shelving. By going mobile, you only need one aisle total. By going mobile you turn your aisles into yields.

The vertical racks are made unique to suit the farming system you have running.

Three Types of Vertical Farming

1. Hydroponics

Hydroponics is the growing system most commonly used in vertical farms. It involves growing plants in a nutrient solution free of soil. The cannabis roots are submerged in the solution, which is (in most cases automatically) monitored and circulated to ensure a correct chemical composition is maintained.

How is water supplied to the tower? A typical vertical racking will have a reservoir tank at the bottom. The tank is attached to a special hydroponic pump that propels water to the topmost point of the tower.

For a steady flow of water across the tower, the system relies on gravitational force to bring the water back to the reservoir after a full circulation.

2. Aeroponics

Aeroponics was developed by NASA in a bid to find practical ways to grow crops in space. The mission of these brilliant minds was to find a way to grow plants in an air/mist environment with no soil or very little water.

Aeroponics consumes 90% less water, levels that even the most efficient hydroponics system could only dare dream about.

Moreover, plants grown through aeroponics have been shown to take up more minerals and vitamins, making them healthier and potentially more nutritious.

3. Aquaponics

Aquaponics is a diverse system that incorporates plants and fish in the same ecosystem.

Fish are hosted in indoor ponds, producing nutrient-rich waste that’s food for plants. The plants then filter and purify the wastewater, which is recycled to the fish ponds.

The nature of aquaponics makes it uneconomical for commercial vertical farms; however, it can work well for small-scale farming.

Five Benefits of Having Rolling Vertical Grow Racks For Your Cannabis Grow Rooms

Rolling vertical grow racks bring new dynamics to a grow room that set it apart from other systems.

1. Watering And Caring For Plants Is Simplified

Mobile systems allow you to move racks back and forth to create aisles as needed for easy plant maintenance.

Moreover, these systems can come with a retractable mezzanine walkway that helps employees access those plants located on higher elevations

2. A Simple Approach To Increase Your Revenue By Making Extra Space On the Fly

This means you can turn your warehouse overhead space into revenue by providing more plant-growing area. You can also relocate entire rows of plants next to each other to maximize the growing area.

3. Higher Yields

High-density vertical grow racks can accommodate multiple levels of fans, plants, lighting, and irrigation equipment, allowing for higher yields.

4. Code Compliance

Commercial cannabis cultivation is still a new concept, and stakeholders are still working on local building codes. Having your operation backed by a reputable company ensures your systems are built to meet all the necessary regulations.

5. Improved Ergonomics

Rolling vertical grow racks often come in widths of 4′, allowing for convenient access to every plant across the expanse of the trays.

The mobility of the systems allows for aisles to be created with ease, with employees being able to freely walk back and forth between the 3′ aisle to tend to their plants.

Six Qualities Of A Good Rolling System

As you choose the best cultivation system for your commercial cannabis grow room, there are various factors to consider.

1. Anti-corrosive

The atmosphere in a grow room can be harsh on the materials used in vertical racks. The air is humid, and a variety of chemicals are being handled. To endure the extreme conditions, the materials used in the construction of the racks must be anti-corrosive and rust-free. This feature also impacts the shelf’s durability or longevity.

2. Strong, Durable Material

Vertical racks can be made from a variety of materials. However, stainless steel and aluminum are the most prevalent and recommended materials. These materials are strong while being lightweight. This ensures the security of your crops while minimizing the load on your building.

Because of the robust materials, the systems can withstand seismic complications, guaranteeing the safety of your workers and keeping your operation running efficiently.

3. Customization Options

You need to select a system that is appropriate for your project. Depending on the dimensions of your room, the system must be installed differently, either horizontally or vertically, to fit precisely.

Furthermore, whether you are performing hydroponics or aeroponics, each type has distinct requirements that your service provider needs to consider.

4. Installation Services

A good rolling systems installation provider does more than just fix the racks to your grow room. The shelves must be nicely integrated into the overall design of the area. Detailed floor layouts and tailored drawings are required to help maximize capacity.

Also, because no two green operations are the same, the systems ought to be tailored to the exact requirements of your grow space.

5. An Automated Rolling System

Manual rolling shelves are safe to use and work well. Then again, an automated system benefits your staff, especially when your cannabis plants grow, increasing the load on the shelving.

6. Anti-tip System

For those operations in seismic zones, an anti-tip system should be the priority. This helps to keep the shelves stable and prevents them from falling over.

The load of the plants on the shelves can be substantial, especially as the levels increase. This component is often installed at the base rail and activates when shelves begin to topple.

Equip Your Grow Room With the Best Rolling Vertical Grow Racks

Rolling vertical grow racks helps your grow operation be more efficient and profitable. The rack, when properly installed, enhances flexibility, flow efficiency, and the ergonomy of your operation. Overall it helps beef up what you can do in the available space, turning in quality and higher yields.

The key to working rolling vertical grow racks is an experienced installation provider. MMI Agriculture is a high-density vertical grow rack manufacturer located in Ellenville, NY. We specialize in designing, manufacturing, and installing high-quality and durable mobile, vertical grow rack shelving systems for the indoor agriculture industry.

Everything You Need to Know About 1020 Trays

Image of man using 1020 Trays to grow cannabis indoors.

An In-Depth Look At 1020 Trays For Your Cannabis Plants

You’ve got the ideal grow room with a top-notch ventilation system to match it. You also have the sterilized soil or growing medium of your choice, as well your premium cannabis seeds.

What’s next?

Germination trays (also known as seed trays).

Yes, there are a variety of germination trays that come in all sizes. However, there’s a common type used by greenhouse farmers known as 1020 trays, or referred to as the “standard” size tray.”

“These trays, which are also called ‘flats’, are available everywhere from hydroponic stores to Amazon and eBay.”

But there’s so much to know about these trays before getting your grow operation running as it should.

How are they used? What are the different types?

We shall look into all that and more.

What Does 1020 Mean?

The term 1020 alludes to the tray’s length and width, approximately 10 inches by 20 inches.

In terms of metric measurements, it’s 25 by 51 cm.

The standard size tray is frequently larger than its 1020 dimension by an inch on both sides. The extra inches come in handy when adding pots to separate seeds in your tray; it provides more space at the edges to catch the overflow and extract the pots.

The planting trays can be utilized to create a large “field” of potting soil mix or divided into separate cells for individual plants — the distinct cells aid in making room for the roots of your cannabis seeds.

Moreover, in the case of propagating plug plants, seedlings sprouted and grown in single units; they are easier to transplant when planted in cells.

Because each seedling is in its own enclosure, the roots of the plants do not become entangled, safeguarding your plants’ roots when transplanting.

What Material Are 1020 Seed Trays Made Of?

Most 1020 seed trays are made of heavy-duty plastic. The plastic makes them light and durable at the same time.

The trays come in different colors, with black being the most popular. Others may prefer white or brightly colored flats to reflect light rather than absorb it, as in the case of black trays. The reflected light can benefit the plants.

Due to the material the flats are made of, 1020 trays are mostly sold wholesale to make economic sense for the manufacturers.

Moreover, for safety measures, consider checking for BPA-free food-safe polypropylene plastic.

BPA-free material is plastic manufactured without bisphenol A associated with various health conditions.

Plastics made without BPA are FDA-approved for food contact, otherwise known as food-grade plastic.

How Deep Should A Seed Tray Be?

The depth of 1020 greenhouse trays depends on what you grow and when you intend to transplant. Trays typically have a depth of 2 to 3 inches.

The idea is to avoid using too deep trays if you want your crops to drain properly. Otherwise, you’ll have waterlogged soil, which can lead to root rot, an irreparable infection that reduces crop yield.

For starting seeds, your 1020 germination tray needs to be deep (about 3 inches). The depth allows for more area for soaking the soil. The allowance also aids in keeping water from pouring over the edges.

Furthermore, if you’re planting in a grow room, the trays need to provide adequate space for the roots to spread out.

Good depth also gives you more time to transplant your cannabis plants to larger pots or your garden.

1020 Trays Are Classified Into Three Types

Trays are classified according to their drainage features. There are three standard trays.

1. Reservoir Tray Without Holes

Trays without holes are useful for an indoor operation, especially if you have a vertical growing system. They help reduce the risk of water leaking onto the floor or contacting the light below.

Such flats come with deep bottom channels to help prevent overwatering.

However, because of their waterproof design, which even retains runoff, you must be careful not to overwater the plants.

2. Reservoir Tray With Holes

If good drainage is a priority, a germination tray with holes is your best bet. Such trays are ideal for cultivating cannabis plants on our tabletop caster unit.

However, these flats create a challenge in managing excess water flow when growing plants in an indoor grow room. Therefore, drainage is something you really need to consider when using this type of 1020 greenhouse trays.

3. Mesh Tray

Mesh trays are similar to trays with holes, but their grid structure of perforations makes them excellent for hydroponic propagation.

Hydroponic cultivation is a type of cannabis growth that employs nutrient-rich water as the growing medium.

This 1020 tray type, as the name implies, has many holes that regulate the free flow of water, allowing your plants to receive all of the nutrients they require.

How Are 1020 Trays Used? Learn About These Top 5 Ways

1020 seed trays are made to accommodate various methods of planting your cannabis plants. Here are 5 ways you can use 1020 trays.

1. Planting Directly

The propagation trays can be used as one large tray with no cells to separate the seeds. You only need potting soil mix. This method saves time because you don’t have to transplant into pots. There is enough space between the crops to grow into robust shoots.

Additionally, since you only need the buds from your hemp, you can uproot the plant and replant it in the same position once you’ve harvested your buds.

2. Grouping In Pots

Keeping your plants in pots arranged within the trays makes it simple to transport them. On the other hand, pots come in various sizes and forms, often taking up a lot of space, thus limiting you to only planting a few crops.”

As a result, this method of growing may not be cost-effective for large-scale farming.

3. Planting Seedlings (In A Seedling Cell Tray)

Seedling cell trays are useful for growing your seedlings. When growing cannabis, you can choose to transplant seedlings into pots or your farm.

For the same 1020 tray, a seedling cell tray has up to 125 dividing cells. The cells aid in the separation of seedling roots for easier transplanting.

4. Growing In Punnets

Punnets are rectangular containers with drainage holes at the bottom that can be filled with soil to grow your plants.

They are available in various sizes to match the needs of your cannabis plants. The 1020 greenhouse tray can hold roughly ten of the regular-size punnets.

The punnets make cultivation easy as they are not monolithic like the seedling cell. Therefore, you can easily extract any punnets for a closer look at the plant or to remove any unhealthy ones.

5. Organizing Square Pots In A Grid

Unlike punnets, square pots fit nicely in a 1020 tray and allow for more seedlings. They are also custom-fitted and have ample space for roots to flourish. They are, however, not as large as punnets.

Twenty average-sized pots fit in the standard-size tray. The pots leave some space between them, making it easy to remove the pots off the tray.

The square pots make it simple to care for your plants and keep your workspace tidy.

How Long Can Seedlings Stay In A Tray?

The amount of time plants can be in the tray and remain healthy is highly dependent on the potting system you’ve chosen.

The potting system will determine the capacity of your roots. The faster the roots can occupy the available space, the sooner you have to remove the plants from the trays.

For example, if you plant seeds in a 200 cell tray, crops that grow quickly are ideal as there is plenty of space for a robust root system. However, as soon as the crops sprout, they’ll have to be transplanted to larger pots. If you choose a 128 cell tray, the partitions are larger, allowing the plants to stay in for a little longer.

Alternatively, you could opt for a 72 cell tray. The partitions have larger capacities, allowing your crops to thrive in the 1020 tray for up to 3 months before needing to be transplanted.

Fewer cells equal more time in the trays for your crops. Additionally, if you use punnets or square pots, your cannabis plants will be able to mature comfortably.

The number of plants you can grow in your trays is also determined by how well you have set your grow room ventilation.

How To Clean Your 1020 Trays

If you have purchased heavy-duty 1020 trays for your operation, then they are reusable. Here are tips to ensure your trays are clean for every growing season.

Remove any leftover dirt and root matter.
Spray the trays with high velocity to remove stubborn debris.
Wash the cleaner trays in hot soapy water or use your dishwasher.
Rinse your trays with clean water and allow them to air dry.
You can further sterilize with H2O2 or a mild bleach solution. H2O2 stands for hydrogen peroxide, an organic compound used in soil sterilization.

Improve Your Grow Room With Heavy-Duty 1020 Trays

Using 1020 trays in your grow room will help ease your workflow and keep the room neat. Their design makes them durable and reliable for your cannabis plants. Whether you have starting seeds or fully grown marijuana plants, 1020 trays will serve the purpose.

MMI agriculture offers vertical growing solutions that will complement cannabis cultivation efforts. Contact us for an assessment of your grow space as well as installation services. Also, check out our retractable elevated decking that is sure to help you optimize your grow space.

Ventilation For Your Grow Room: The Beginner’s Guide

commercial grow room ventilation inspection. how to ventilate your cannabis grow room.

4 Essential Components For Setting Up The Perfect Grow Room Ventilation

Proper ventilation in the grow room is critical for optimal plant growth. Cannabis plants require adequate air circulation and fresh air to thrive. Installing an exhaust and ventilation system is vital, especially if you’ve chosen to use a vertical racking system.

The ventilation system maintains atmospheric parameters such as temperature, humidity, and CO2 levels within an indoor growing room. These factors directly impact photosynthesis, which influences how plants grow and develop.

Indoor growing involves artificially supplying the correct conditions for plant growth. This environment is created by utilizing various interdependent systems to provide the ideal habitat for your plants.

Four Benefits Of Good Air Circulation

Here are some of the reasons why you need a good grow room ventilation system.

1. Maintains Optimal CO2 Levels

Green plants synthesize nutrients from carbon dioxide and water during photosynthesis. An indoor operation is a closed system that means plants will eventually run out of this important resource.

An uninterrupted supply of fresh air from outside provides plants with the much-needed C02 to keep manufacturing food for themselves. Maintaining optimal carbon dioxide levels promotes plant development and yield.

2. Humidity Management

Plants, through transpiration, release water into the atmosphere. This process can make a room with bad ventilation humid, converting your grow room into a breeding ground for pests. The moist environment raises the temperature as well.

An effective ventilation system expels excess moisture thus maintaining an environment that encourages plants’ roots to absorb nutrient-rich water. The result will be more healthy plants.

3. Temperature Control

Grow lights are used in an indoor arrangement to mirror the effects of sunshine. At the same time, these lights emit heat, which might elevate the temperature in your environment.

Encouraging good air circulation can help mitigate the effects of rising temperatures.

4. Strengthen Plant Stems

In the open field, winds blow on plants, and the swaying helps build a stem that can support the plants, even when they are bearing fruits or seeds.

A ventilation system helps build up this adaptation to help your plants hold up the buds as they mature.

To reap these benefits, a ventilation system needs to stabilize temperature and humidity levels and supply plants with CO2 for photosynthesis

This can be achieved by the use of these four types of equipment;

Grow room fans
Exhaust system
CO2 burners
And air conditioning

Essential Components of an Excellent Ventilation System

1. Grow Room Fans

The optimal temperature for indoor gardens is 72 – 800 F. The ideal temperature for CO2 enriched grow rooms is 80 – 850 F. The equipment utilized in ventilation systems contributes to the maintenance of these ranges. A motorized fan is a common gadget used in air circulation.

Fans are available in various sizes and types to suit various applications. Some common fans include:

Intake fans- They draw in fresh air from outside into the grow room.
Oscillating fans– They help circulate the air drawn in by the intake fans.
Exhaust fans- The fans act like a vacuum and suck the stale air out of the room.
Inline fans– These fans allow the warm air to escape while bringing in the fresh air.

The magnitude of your operation determines how many fans you need and the output they must provide for the ideal ventilation effects. The fan strength is determined by calculating the CFM.

Choosing The Right Exhaust Fan For Your Commercial Indoor Grow

To determine the actual fan and exhaust system requirements, such as size and strength, you must first calculate the cubic feet per minute (CFM).

The CFM measures the amount of air exchange required per minute for the given space size. Most exhaust fans in the US come with a CFM rating, so once you’ve done your calculations, it’s all about visiting the store to acquire your fan.

How To Calculate The CFM Needed

1. Determine The Volume Of Your Space

The volume is calculated by multiplying your space’s Length x Width x Height. The goal is to exhaust this amount of air at least once a minute.

2. Exhaust Efficiency

There are several factors within the grow room that can affect the efficiency of your air circulation system. These include heat from lighting, interference from connected carbon filters, and ducting path.

An efficient system has air going in a short straight line after passing through the fan. When the air has to go around a turn and through a carbon filter, you have to compensate for the loss when calculating the CFM.

Recommended CFM = (Grow space Width X Length X Height) / 5

When there’s a carbon filter present, add 20% to the CFM

CFM = [(Grow space Width X Length X Height) / 5] X 1.2

3. Install The Fan Based On The Final CFM Rating

Remember, the CFM rating is given in the fans, so pick a fan with a higher rating than you calculated to account for any errors. Also, if you aren’t savvy at math, take your measurement with you. Your retailer can help compute the CFM.

Should you go directly to buying your fans now that you’ve calculated the CFM? No, not quite. You need to determine how to set up your intake system. These are classified into two;

Passive
And active intake systems.

Choosing Between Passive and Active Air Intake

Air intake refers to how you bring air into your grow room.

Passive Intake System

Passive intake is a common method with grow tent farmers. The system doesn’t use an intake fan; rather, openings in the tent allow the inline exhaust fan to suck the air out of the tent generating a vacuum. As a result, fresh air is drawn inside the tent from outside.

The objective is to create negative pressure in the grow tent. The result is your room will have less air pressure than the surrounding environment promoting a passive system.

An efficient system has an intake hole up to three times bigger than the exhaust hole for proper suction without overloading the fans. To do this in your grow room, have the intake fan, door, and windows larger than the aperture for your exhaust fan.

The issue with the method is that the tent isn’t sealed, allowing pests to get into your grow room. This method may also release unwanted odor into the surroundings.

Active Intake

An active intake involves an additional fan for taking in more air into the grow room. This system is efficient for large scale production.

Taking into account the CFM and intake system can help you purchase the right ventilation equipment for your operation.

Though the fans and exhaust system are linked, there are a few more components that make up the exhaust system.

2. Exhaust System

Another component of the grow ventilation system that you must consider is the exhaust system.

The exhaust system helps eliminate stale air and excess heat while bringing in cool air, which promotes the health and yields of your plants.

We’ve already discussed grow fans, which are part of the exhaust system. Let’s now look at two other components which are essential to the system: ducting and a carbon filter.

Ducting

Ducts in a cannabis grow room. Order vertical farming equipment, mobile carriages, and grow trays. Ducting is a tube-like structure that connects the exhaust system components. It’s also responsible for directing air in or out of the grow room. The longer the ducting with several twins and turns, the more power a fan needs to pull or push air. A shorter ducting with fewer angles increases the efficiency of your system.

Carbon Filters

Cannabis plants tend to release a strong aroma as they grow. While this isn’t an environmental problem, it can be an unpleasant smell that might require the installation of carbon filters to help mitigate the aroma.

Carbon filters scrub the strong marijuana aroma out of the air before releasing it into the atmosphere. The filters are also handy in eliminating other toxins like pesticides from the air.

3. CO2 Burners

A CO2 burner or generator is a carbon dioxide generating machine. CO2 is a critical component of photosynthesis that plants rapidly deplete in an enclosed environment. The burner aids in the maintenance of your plants’ yields by ensuring proper photosynthesis at all times.

However, while the burners emit carbon dioxide, they also emit water vapor, thus raising the temperature within the grow room. Dehumidifiers and air conditioners can help alleviate this problem and guarantee proper air circulation.

Finally, the ideal cannabis grow room ventilation system needs air conditioning.

4. Air Conditioning

Image of 2 air conditioners set to ventilate a cannabis grow room. Buy vertical grow racks and vertical farming equipment from MMI Agriculture. Air conditioners are essential for eliminating excess heat and helping to maintain an ideal temperature in your grow room.

Various factors influence the size of an air conditioner.

Lighting equipment– Grow lights such as HIDs and fluorescent lights produce a lot of heat which can imbalance temperature conditions in the grow room.
CFM or dimensions of the space– As previously mentioned, the room’s size will define the output that the equipment must create to be effective in its function.
CO2 equipment– CO2 burners emit carbon dioxide and water vapor, raising the temperature in a grow room.
The ballast of lighting equipment– Ballasts control the voltage sent to each grow lamp. Without ballasts, lights can draw too much current at once, causing them to overheat. The ballasts also emit heat, which must be accounted for when purchasing an AC.

Manage Airflow In Your Indoor Vertical Farm

Having fans, an exhaust system and CO2 burners for your ventilation system is sufficient for a small farm but maybe not ideal for a commercial growing setup.

Atmospheric controllers with built-in thermostats and humidistats allow you to automate motorized fans, maintaining stable atmospheric conditions.

If you are a beginner and have covered the basics of a ventilation system, contact us and let’s show you how you can incorporate it into our vertical farming systems, including Retracted Elevated Decking and Tabletop Caster Unit to keep your operation growing.