patro46
- 6
- 3
I'm in a real pickle. When Oklahoma's gold rush for cannabis opened up, I jumped in, as I've grown under the radar since the 70's, and had been using hydroponics before names for many methods were even invented. I was growing in a room full of 3 inch PVC piping with plastic Solo cups on what is now called "nutrient film technique
and have since grown in flood and drain and top fed constant recirculating systems, so I feel I'm pretty well versed in how to grow hydroponically, and I'm not bragging. Follow along...
So when Oklahoma went legal, we bought land and built a 10,000 sq ft facility specifically for growing cannabis, and to do so hydroponically. After all, it just made sense. Fast forward to our first harvest and results from the laboratory full panel testing. We were stellar in having a clean product (no pesticides, bugs, ect) and pretty high THC (26%+) levels, however the terpene levels were well below par. Mind you, I've grown for 40 years and never even knew what a terpene profile was. It was either fruity, skunky or whatever. I never had a number to tie to a strain. Now, it's required.
Well, folks don't seem to care about anything other than a high terpene ratio from say 2.0 to 6.0, and ours clocked in quite a bit less (.55 to .99) on our high THC producer. Mind you, folks that claim a 6. terp ratio in my opinion (and that of many testing lab owners) in utter BS.
Nonetheless, I am faced with a few potential realities.
1. I simply had the wrong genetics
2. Growing hydroponically can't create the stellar terpene profiles growing organic can.
Anyway, that's how I'm seeing this. Whatever it is, if we are to be successful, we have to figure this thing out.
So I am hoping the 100's of years of combined grow knowledge lurking in this forum will chime in with some good news. I NEED some!
So when Oklahoma went legal, we bought land and built a 10,000 sq ft facility specifically for growing cannabis, and to do so hydroponically. After all, it just made sense. Fast forward to our first harvest and results from the laboratory full panel testing. We were stellar in having a clean product (no pesticides, bugs, ect) and pretty high THC (26%+) levels, however the terpene levels were well below par. Mind you, I've grown for 40 years and never even knew what a terpene profile was. It was either fruity, skunky or whatever. I never had a number to tie to a strain. Now, it's required.
Well, folks don't seem to care about anything other than a high terpene ratio from say 2.0 to 6.0, and ours clocked in quite a bit less (.55 to .99) on our high THC producer. Mind you, folks that claim a 6. terp ratio in my opinion (and that of many testing lab owners) in utter BS.
Nonetheless, I am faced with a few potential realities.
1. I simply had the wrong genetics
2. Growing hydroponically can't create the stellar terpene profiles growing organic can.
Anyway, that's how I'm seeing this. Whatever it is, if we are to be successful, we have to figure this thing out.
So I am hoping the 100's of years of combined grow knowledge lurking in this forum will chime in with some good news. I NEED some!