Sun Grown Cannabis

Sun Grown Cannabis

Professor DeBacco


Sun Grown = Outdoor Grown
The term given to outdoor grown cannabis is “Sun Grown”.
However, Sun Grown is intended to imply a greater focus on sustainable practices.
However, “Sun Grown” does not have an exact definition it implies that the sun is the main source of light/energy and not electrical power.
The idea behind this term is that the cannabis has been farmed sustainably in healthy, natural environments.



Why Indoor Grown In The First Place?
The indoor cultivation of cannabis is due to the prohibition of cannabis forcing growers to grow in isolated private locations indoors.
This cause technologies to be developed to allow for this type of propagation which also increased the dependency on electricity.
Estimated 3% of California’s household energy use is due to indoor cannabis cultivation.



Cost of Replicating the Suns Energy…
On a national level, in 2011, it was estimated that the energy consumption for indoor grown cannabis consumes 1% of national electricity use, or $6 billion per year (Mills, 2012).
This equates to the production of carbon emissions equal to that of 3 million average U.S. cars, for every one kilogram of indoor cannabis produced.



Sun Grown Energy Savings
With outdoor production this can nearly eliminate the energy needed for the growing of cannabis which reduces the environmental impact and also the costs to the grower.
In addition to these savings, growers are often using organic products, local water and natural sunlight.



Sun Grown Advantage
The “Sun Grown” advantage states that similar potencies can be achieved when best practices are used (Kovner, 2011).
This is supported by the statement that sun-grown diverges from outdoor because of adherence to the use of organic pesticides and fertilizers, sun-grown cannabis also carries a myriad of environmental benefits due to avoiding the use of harsh and artificial additives.



Sun Grown Limitations
With the variability of an outdoor environment these variable conditions can cause stresses on the plant and reduce overall production.
Equipment used to reduce some of these impacts can reduce the overall carbon foot print efficiency of a growing operation, but often will help increase yields.
In addition the seasonality of different regions limit the amount of growing cycles that can be completed in a calendar year.



Sun Grown Anecdotal Accounts
Increased potency
Improved plant health
More aromas
Wide terpen profiles



Sun Spectrum Advantage
There have been lighting studies that demonstrate the improved plant performance with UV light and also far red light wavelengths as these do contribute to photosynthesis.
While this may be true, the other stresses will typically reduce the overall quality of the buds.



Sun Grown Growers Goals
The goal for growers selecting to follow the practices of “Sun Grown” will have less overall costs compared to indoor production.
However, the final product quality will be a battle not often won compared to indoor operations.
So, Sun Grown growers goal should be focused on sustainable practices and total biomass production.
Due to the reduced costs per plant growers can often grow more plants and win the biomass production game.

However, growing a product for final dry flower will meet stiff competition from the indoor market, so growers should be considering some form of extraction for their product.




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