Bryant is a Certified Crop Advisor who specializes in organic cannabis nutrition. He has spent the last 5 years working to combine precision laboratory techniques with data science in an effort to unravel the complexities of cannabis soil and crop nutrition. Along with his work on soilless media, he also helps outdoor cultivators around the U.S. with nutrient management and cover cropping. If you would like to do soil testing, help interpreting a soil test, or are interested in an online course on these subjects, his website is www.soildoctorconsulting.com. If you want to save ..read more

Water is life. Not only is it essential for all living things, the polar molecule, H2O, is one of the most important variables in your garden. Yes, many folks overlook testing it or incorrectly assume their water is safe or good for their plants. Depending on your water source, it can even change throughout the year. Because of this it is important to test your water in both the wet and dry season for the first two years of any new cultivation project. Water tests can feel daunting at first. How do I take a sample? Is it going to be expensive? Once I get the results, how do I tell if the ..read more

One of the most important skills any grower can have is the ability to visually identify a deficiency or issue with their crop. Proper scouting and early identification of nutrient or IPM issues is critical to staying on target with your harvest goals. This can be confusing for newer growers and can take decades to learn, requiring constant repetition. This is especially true for cannabis growers with few scientifically backed representative images available due to prohibition. We are all familiar with the old nutrient deficiency posters that did little despite their best intentions to h ..read more

I’d like to start by saying cover crops are amazing and have a ton of benefits. They are one of the best ways to improve soil health in agricultural soils. Cover crops can be used to increase organic matter, effectively raising cation exchange capacity in soils where it’s impractical to bring in compost or mulches. Certain cover crops like radishes help with compacted soil by breaking through tough layers of subsoil, making it easier for your main crop to increase it’s rooting depth. Having a cover crop protects the soil from erosion due to wind or heavy rains, and also reduces water evaporati ..read more

My guest this week is Dr. Jack Munz. Jack obtained a Bachelor of Science in Botany from Colorado State University while working as a lab assistant facilitating the development of genetic  markers for invasive species. Jack then earned a Master of Science from Illinois State University where  he worked towards increasing vegetable oils in temperate grasses like corn for biodiesel production using targeted gene expression. He also has a Ph.D. in Botany from the University of British  Columbia during which he worked to unravel the genetic regulation of nitrogen starvation responses ..read more

My guest this week is Dr. Abbey Wick. Abbey is a North Dakota State University Extension Soil Health Specialist and Associate Professor, and has experience working with farmers on soil health building practices like incorporating cover crops into rotation and transitioning to no-till systems.    Since 2012, she has had her hands in over 50,000 acres of soil and influenced management on over 200,000 acres of farmland in the northern plains just with the personal relationships she’s developed with farmers.  There are many other farmers she influences through her bi-weekly mag ..read more

Measuring the yield of Cannabis sativa as a response to either automated irrigation systems or traditional hand watering methods in a controlled agriculture environment.   Ben Higgins†§ and Tad Hussey†   § - Gold Leaf Gardens, Lacey WA  † - KIS Organics, Redmond WA Corresponding author: Ben Higgins – ben@kisorganics.com Tad Hussey: tad@kisorganics.com   Abstract: Background The cultivation of Cannabis sativa is expanding all over the globe. However, the existence of differing laws and regulations have made it challenging to study the plant. Given the lack of scientific inqu ..read more

GREENHOUSE TOUR: Sustainable Large-Scale Cannabis Production with The Green Organic Dutchman (TGOD) & KIS Organics Get an inside look into one of Canada’s leaders in organic, sustainably grown cannabis. Tad Hussey interviewed TGOD’s VP of Growing Operations, David Bernard-Perron. Tad and David discussed the ins and outs of how to grow high-quality, organic cannabis. They talked specifically about the innovative technology and processes TGOD uses to streamline complex organic growing methods, to produce clean and pure, certified organic cannabis. Here are a few of the other topics covered ..read more

While many times the baby chicks you brought home will grow into wonderful laying hens, roosters happen too! The easiest way to avoid getting roosters is to buy sex-linked chicks. This means that the sex of the bird is linked to the color of its feathers, so it's very easy to identify the difference between males and females. Of course, many of the unique and heritage breeds are more difficult to sex at an early age, so now you're stuck reading this article.  Don't despair though. If you are able to keep your rooster, you'll find that they can be wonderful additions to your flock. Rooste ..read more

To download the .pdf click here   Plant growth comparison of Cannabis sativa when grown in isolated containers versus communal bed systems.    Dr. Ben Higgins and Tad Hussey 16 June, 2019   Introduction The decision that all farms are faced with in choosing which containers (if any) to use for their crop(s) has both biological and financial implications. Not surprisingly, these implications are not mutually exclusive, as the type of containers used (e.g., hydroponics, potted soil, raised beds, ground-planted, etc.) inherently will express differences in ecosystem biodiversity. Furtherm ..read more