Many years ago, when I was just out of university, I was lucky enough to work with a very smart real estate developer who taught me so many things that I didn’t learn in school. His business mantra was “If you don’t plan, then plan to fail.” This idea has stuck with me throughout my entire career. But why is it important for growers? Intelligent, meticulous planning of your grow room design helps optimize plant layout, lighting, and airflow. This increases plant growth (quantity) and quality while reducing the risk of pathogens and pests. It’s about having control over what comes next.
Of course, our plans don’t always work out as planned. In “Notes from a Dirty Old Gardener – Everyone Has a Plan Until They Get Punched in the Face,” we get the perspective of a typical home gardener who often relies on luck, even when a loose plan is in place.
When we are growing with organic or living soil, there is so much more to think about. In his article, “The Soil Never Sleeps”, Gareth Hopcroft writes, “Rather than viewing each crop as a separate event, living soil encourages us to see the garden as a continuous biological system. Harvest is not the end of the story.”
As it turns out, several of our writers had the same idea. Thinking through and planning how to have the best soil for your plants is very important if you grow this way, and neglecting your soil could be devastating.
In “Invisible but Essential: The Underworld, an Invisible War,” William Texier breaks down all the weird and wonderful things living on and in our soil. If you want them to live symbiotically with your plants, certain care is required, and yes, you will need a plan.
In “Fungal Frailty and How To Fight It,” AC Moon helps us understand what factors influence the presence of negative fungal spores in your grow area and how to prevent them. And with so many biological inoculants out there, how do you choose the best one for your growing needs? In “Precision or Party: What Does a Plant’s Rhizosphere Really Want?” Av Singh gives his two cents on how to deal with this complicated question.
Whether it is your home garden or a multimillion-dollar commercial grow facility, intelligent, fact-based planning is vital to your success.
Happily planning
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