The aeroponic growing method allows cultivators the ability to navigate an increasingly competitive market by offering reduced operating expenses and increased yield when compared to traditional growing styles. The method does require additional upfront investment, with costs quickly recovered and increased revenue throughout the lifecycle of the operation.
Aeroponics is an advanced form of hydroponics where traditionally used media such as soil, coco, or rockwool is eliminated, leaving the plant’s root system fully exposed to the surrounding atmosphere. Nutrient delivery is achieved through a mist system to directly apply a solution that can be optimized to give growers full control over nutrient application and align timing with immediate needs of the plant. The abundance of oxygen accelerates nutrient absorption, allowing plant energy to be directed to flower production instead of searching for resources, significantly increasing yields. Additionally, the lack of media prevents mineral buildup around the root ball allowing the ability to perform a full flush, resulting in clean, pure, high-quality flower that is free of residual nutrients.
The high level of efficiency in aeroponics means growers experience cost savings from reduced water, nutrient, and media consumption. Labor requirements are reduced, and facilities can operate with smaller crews as drip lines do not need to be maintained and there is no media to be prepared, managed, handled, and disposed of.
The use of aeroponics provides clear advantages, though it is not without risk. Loss of power or mechanical failure are common concerns as there is no media buffer to protect the roots, but risk is mitigated with monitoring systems, backup generators, and preventative maintenance protocols- all of which are commonplace in the buildout of any modern cultivation facility.
Growing with the aeroponic method allows cultivators the ability to play in a changing market that requires reduced inputs and increased output to remain competitive. Aeroponics allows for greater yields of clean, pure, high-quality flower that can be grown with reduced recurring cost and labor requirements, all while increasing sustainability with reduced landfill input and water consumption.
What Are Aeroponic Grow Systems?
Aeroponic growing has been around for several decades and gained momentum in the 1990’s when it was used by NASA to grow plants in the International Space Station. Their intent was to grow food without having to transport media and large amounts of water. Aeroponics was a logical choice as the technique does not require soil or other media, and water consumption can be reduced by up to 90%. Plants sit in net pots that contain porous, kiln-dried clay pebbles that allow the plant to stay upright as it grows with a root system suspended in an enclosed environment. High levels of efficiency are achieved because the roots do not need to search or compete for resources and are fully exposed to oxygen, which promotes nutrient uptake. Nutrient rich water is sprayed directly on to the roots and is absorbed with minimal energy output resulting in greater yields than are achievable in other growing methods.
Benefits of Aeroponic Grow Systems
Eliminating growing media offers several distinct advantages:
Reduced Water Demand
The high level of efficiency in aeroponic systems allow for water reductions of up to 90% compared to traditional growing methods.
Reduced Nutrient Demand
Plants grown in aeroponic systems require up to 75% less nutrients than those in other growing methods.
Reduced Labor Demand
Without the need to handle pallets full of rockwool cubes or 40-pound bags of soil or coco through out the facility, grow operations can operate with a smaller crew. Additionally, there are no longer drip line manifolds to maintain and rebuild.
High Level of Grower Control
Issues with individual plants can be identified immediately, allowing growers the ability to address the matter before it spreads through the crop.
Cleaner Product
The lack of media means there is no nutrient buildup around the root ball. This means that a pure water flush will result in zero residual nutrients, leaving consumers with only clean, pure flower.
Increased Yield
Oxygen saturation allows the root system to efficiently uptake nutrients, so the plant needs to expel no energy to finding resources. This energy is redirected to flower production and increases yields by up to 60%.
Ability To Go Vertical Safely
Aeroponics is well suited for use with multi-tiered racking systems and allows for their use to be safer. As grow boxes are not removed between harvests, there is no need for growers to transport media up and down stairs, greatly reducing the risk of injury.
Increased Sustainability
Along with massive reductions in water and nutrient consumption, aeroponics allows growers to reduce their landfill inputs. While used rockwool, soil, and coco do have the ability to be recycled, options are limited and require processing operations that consume additional resources. As a result, most used growing media ends up as waste in landfills.
Is an Aeroponic Growing System Right For You?
This modern cultivation system is high end and does hold the risk of crop loss from lack of watering as there is no media to act as a buffer from a failed pump, clogged emitter, or power outage. Backup power generation that prioritizes water pumps is essential as are monitoring systems that alert growers to failures so that they can be immediately addressed. These systems are commonplace in modern cultivation facilities and should not be overwhelming to a professional cultivation team with a culture of preventative maintenance and well-defined SOPs.
Aeroponic Cannabis Grow Boxes with WS Hampshire, Inc.
Throughout the Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) world, aeroponics is considered to be “the future of indoor growing” due to higher yields, the massive reduction in water consumption, and high level of grower control. Our aeroponic grow boxes are an essential tool that growers can utilize to make this transition from less efficient growing methods.
WS Hampshire, builds grow boxes from a highly specialized thermoplastic that reflects all light back to the plants while keeping light out of the root zone. The lack of UV penetration means a cool root zone temperature as well as the elimination of algae growth that attracts pests, suffocates roots, and inhibits nutrient uptake.
We will provide our grow boxes with internal schedule 80 plumbing along with trellis supports. The boxes are designed to sit on the same bench and flood trays that can be found in any cultivation facility and required pumps and reservoirs are easily sourced.
Additional Products for Cultivators
WS Hampshire, Inc. also provides additional products that can prove beneficial to cannabis cultivators.
With more than 80 years of molding expertise, our vacuum and thermal molding skills allow us to create a thermoplastic components for sub-irrigation and re-circulation systems. The high-impact material is effective in applications such as food benches and growing trays for either greenhouse or indoor grow rooms.
We can also supply grating and structural shapes using composite fiberglass that will not degrade in wet or corrosive environments.
Additionally, WS Hampshire, Inc. offers CNC machining, milling, sawing, routing, and drilling services for all fabricated parts. Our plastic fabrication services utilize both thermoplastic and composite materials, allowing us to create work surfaces, dividers, shelving, and wall panels.
Rely on WS Hampshire for Your Custom Fabrication Needs
Contact WS Hampshire, Inc. to discuss your operational needs and receive a quote for developing a customized aeroponic grow system.
We can help build a system that will create an efficient cultivation facility that allows for owners and growers to navigate a highly competitive industry. Building an operation that is focused on an efficient and sustainable approach to cannabis growing offers many benefits to the grower, the consumer, and the environment.