Shelving.com
NSF Indoor Agriculture Storage
Cloning & Preparation
For most indoor farming operations, the plants are actually being ‘cloned’ from one another. We don’t mean in a weird sci-fi way, though - for plants, the term ‘cloning’ refers to using snipped branches, seeds, or other deposits to propagate new growths and continue strains of certain plants as needed.
For plant cloning, a clean and stable environment should be provided for the needed trimming & planting operations. Greenhouse workers in charge of cloning need sturdy work surfaces to safely trim their plants and transfer the needed seeds and trimmings to their new pots and grow areas. These surfaces should include sturdy steel tables or trim tables, specially designed for this purpose to help keep the plants safe, as well as sterile steel shelving to keep the plants safe before they’re sent back to the grow area.
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Transport
Moving plants safely through an indoor farm or dispensary operation requires safe tools designed for easy movement. Instead of burdening your growers with individual trays, use wire utility carts to transport loads of plants between different areas of the greenhouse during the growth process. These carts can carry individual plants or entire trays, similar to the style used in restaurants, to move them from the cloning area to the greenhouse, or even to the retail/sales department as needed.
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Growth & Flowering
Perhaps the most important part of any indoor agriculture or indoor farm operation, the growth & flowering stage is crucial for the health and success of your plants. Flowering areas need to be kept to a specific environmental standard, similar to those found in standard greenhouses, and must promote strong airflow among each plant to ensure they get the nutrients they need to grow and develop properly.
What the growth stage calls for then is shelving that can stand up to the temperature/weather condition demands of a greenhouse-like environment. The type of shelves used must be water-resistant and not easily damaged by intense heat or humidity, and in many cases stainless steel drying racks and rust-proof wire shelving are the best options for these areas.
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Drying
Many plants can’t go straight from the greenhouse to the sales floor, particularly not when they need to be transported long-distance to their final destination. In most cases, a special drying room will need to be developed to help fully remove moisture from the plants before they can be packaged and sold. While the shelves needed for this operation will be similar to those used in the growth phase, you’ll need to focus more on shelves that can retain heat and help moisture drain away from the plants until they hit just the right consistency. Drying racks exist that can help moisture flow away from the plants, and open wire shelving can help circulate the air and withstand the heat needed to remove moisture from your newly-developed plants.
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Trimming
Actually, trimming plants is one of the most physically demanding jobs in the indoor growth business, and requires the right tools to keep your products safe and your team working effectively. Proper trims need to keep your products attractive and appealing to the end consumer while not reducing any of the value of the goods, requiring a careful balance of skill and technique.
Above and beyond providing the correct tables, trim stations should focus on ergonomics and design to help your workers stay productive without strain, stress, or injury. Think of it like a space in an office - providing the right office furniture will help your team stay comfortable and on task.
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Storage & Sales
The final step in the growing process, safely storing & distributing your plants is key to preventing loss and getting them into the right hands.
Whether you sell your products on-site or distribute them for sale & delivery elsewhere, visibility is the name of the game. Anything locked up needs to be easily viewed and accessed to deter loss or theft, and any retail-facing outlet needs to focus on getting their products in front of as many eyes as possible. To this end, retail shelving can be used as needed, and all live products should be kept behind the counter or in another part of the retail dispensary under lock and key.
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Employee Storage & Sterility
So your plants and products are safe - but what about the people working on them?
Grow environments typically require a degree of stability and sterility to prevent germs and contaminants from affecting the plants and preventing growth. While the needs of each environment will change depending on the needs of the plants (which means you might not need to outfit your team with full-on hazmat suits) you will need to give them a safe place to store their personal belongings that can’t safely travel with them into the growing area. Give your team and their equipment some durable lockers that they can safely be stored in to prevent contamination and give your team a little peace of mind while they’re at work.