In this episode, we sit down with Connor Ockfen, a seasoned cultivator and propagation lead at Collective Elevation in Montana. Connor manages a large-scale cloning and vegetative program that produces over 15,000 clones a year. He shares actionable insights into mother plant care, clone uniformity, rooting protocols, environmental management, and how to maintain genetic integrity across a commercial cultivar library — all while staying in compliance with Montana’s state tracking systems. This is a must-listen for anyone involved in propagation, veg, or commercial-scale plant production.

In this episode of the Cannabis Cultivation and Science Podcast, we’re joined by Dr. Michael Gutensohn, an expert in plant physiology and secondary metabolism, to explore the intricate relationship between environmental stress and the production of secondary metabolites in cannabis. We discuss how various abiotic stressors—such as light intensity, temperature fluctuations, and nutrient availability—can influence the biosynthesis of key phytochemicals, including cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids. Dr. Gutensohn shares insights from his research on plant defense mechanisms, metabolic signaling pathways, and how growers might harness controlled stress to enhance both plant resilience and phytochemical output. Whether you’re a cultivator aiming to fine-tune your grow environment or a scientist delving into cannabis metabolomics, this episode offers valuable, research-backed perspectives on optimizing secondary metabolite production through stress modulation.

In this episode we talk about a recent calibration issue and Logan Labs and what the implications are, what are the limitations and benefits of soil testing, nitrogen management, and a new educational course Bryant is working on.

Some exciting Cannabis Cultivation & Science Conference updates and practical tips and tricks from Jared Ferguson, the greenhouse and fertility manager at Collective Elevation in Bozeman, MT.

Saul began his agriculture work in vineyard and winery operations on the Central California coast.  After deciding to focus his career on crop protection he moved north where he managed IPM programs at Monterey Mushroom Company and Jacobs Farm/Del Cabo.  This work led to a position as IPM Manager at Harborside Farms where he directed their bio-intensive greenhouse cannabis IPM program.  Saul now works as a Technical Sales Representative for BioBee USA.

Dr. Nadia Sabeh is the best in the industry when it comes to air flow and environmental controls related to plants. It was great to get her back on the podcast to talk about what she sees coming up in 2025 and how we can be more efficient with our grow room in regards to energy consumption.

Suzanne has been a regular guest on the show due to her expertise in pest management and biocontrols. In this episode, we dive into a variety of topics that are important aspects of understanding pesticides, isopod management, and much much more. This is part two of a two part interview.

Suzanne has been a regular guest on the show due to her expertise in pest management and biocontrols. In this episode, we dive into a variety of topics that are important aspects of understanding pesticides, isopod management, and much much more. This is part one of a two part interview.

There's a lot of information about the environmental impacts of peat moss and other horticultural substrates. Dr. James Altland digs into the actual data around peat moss and how it compares to alternative options.

As part of my effort to bring successful cultivators on the podcast to share their experiences, this week's interview with Christine talks about many of the challenges they have overcome in their multi-tier facility as well as some of the tips and tricks she's learned along the way.

There's a lot of information available online these days around cannabis cultivation as well as it's potential medical benefits and risks. In this episode, I talk with Christine Goedhart from the University of British Columbia about her recent Biology of Cannabis course and how she created the curriculum and also about how to evaluate an authoritative source of information. We also discuss the myriad of products and marketing that make it difficult to separate really good research from poor quality science.

There are many similarities between the Giant Pumpkin and Cannabis Communities as well as cultivation techniques and fertility. In this episode I sit down with Matthew DeBacco, who founded and teaches the first cannabis horticulture courses at a public university (University of Connecticut) and is also a giant pumpkin grower.

This week's episode is all about tissue culture and micropropagation. My guest has done extensive research on the subject in relation to cannabis and published optimal media and lighting recommendations for the industry. If this is a subject you're in, you really need to check out this podcast and look into the published papers by Dr. Zarei.

Adam Arnold of Collective Elevation in Bozeman, Montana shares how they are able to grow in an extreme environment and run one of the largest living soil greenhouse facilities in the United States. This episode is full of a lot of great advice for growers on all scales and expertise.

Viruses and Viroids have become more of an issue in cannabis in recent years. In this episode we talk about best practices, testing options, and the economic impact of these pathogens.

My guest this week is a returning guest. Dr. Nicole Gauthier is a pathologist, and Professor and Extension specialist at the University of Kentucky.  Her program focuses on disease management of specialty crops, including hemp.  In her Extension role, she develops educational and outreach programs to help growers manage disease through identification, understanding of pathosystems, and integration of management strategies. Her research program focuses on a range of hemp diseases, including Fusarium head blight.  Dr. Gauthier earned her BS in Horticulture Science and her PhD in Plant Pathology from Louisiana State University.  She joined the UK College of Agriculture in 2011 and began working with industrial hemp in 2014. There will be a link on the podcast page to access her resources and research.

George has degrees in Horticulture from the University of Georgia and the University of Florida. He is the GGSPro Technical Services Manager with Griffin Greenhouse Supplies. GGSPro assists ornamental, edible, and hemp/cannabis growers across the country with their cultivation issues ranging from sanitation, IPM, fertility, lighting, and water quality. GGSPro fields over 17,000 grower related calls and emails annually. This amount of valuable interaction helps Griffin collaborate with chemical vendors, academic researchers, and plant producers to implement change within the green industry.

Beneficial Nematodes can be an excellent tool for growers in controlling a variety of cannabis pests. In this episode we discuss not only what nematodes are commercially available, but what target pests and life stages these nematodes are effective against and how to best utilize them in your garden.

Irrigation is one of the most underrated aspects of cultivation and understanding water quality, dissolved oxygen, and best practices will make a HUGE difference in plant health. My guest this week is Les Evans from Dramm, to answer all my questions about water.

My guest this week is Chris Castle. Chris is the co-founder and CEO/COO of Flora & Flame out of California, currently the largest vertical indoor living soil cannabis farm. Chris is a bay area native who has been cultivating cannabis for 17 years, with the last 6 solely on indoor living soil.