The Age of the Informed Grower: Cannabis Cultivation SOPs with Deron Caplan, PhD

An interview with Deron Caplan, PhD

Deron Caplan, PhD, is a cannabis cultivation scientist and Senior Consultant at Sostanza. He builds SOPs, R&D programs, and KPI frameworks that help teams reproduce results at scale—from propagation to post-harvest—bridging academic rigor with real-world production. He also serves as an expert witness in cannabis-related regulatory, legal, and arbitration matters.

Has cannabis really shifted from “secrets and intuition” to data and documentation?

Deron: Yes, to a degree. Early in my career, most learning in cannabis cultivation came from direct mentorship. You grew alongside someone who already knew how to produce quality flower. Research was limited, data were scarce, and most of what mattered lived in people’s heads. That experience-based knowledge remains essential, but it has limits. The key turning point for me—and for the industry—was understanding that the best outcomes come from capturing experience as structured knowledge.

That process started by translating cultivation practices into standard operating procedures (SOPs).

When a grower’s method works, it should be documented, tested, and refined.

Why formalize knowledge into SOPs instead of “letting artists be artists”?

Deron: Documenting processes doesn’t make the grower less important; it multiplies their impact. It allows their knowledge to be applied across teams, tracked over time, and improved with data. 

Another reason is that scale requires trainability and auditability, SOPs define the how, KPIs define the why, and your data is the feedback loop that keeps quality and costs predictable.

What KPIs matter for an informed, data-driven operation?

Deron: Rooting success rates, flower grade distribution, harvest efficiency, and labour requirements (among others) are all quantifiable. Tracking these metrics allows cultivators to validate decisions objectively. 

If a new fertilizer ratio, substrate, or lighting system is introduced, growers can compare outputs before and after and decide based on data, not perception. 

At Sostanza we always recommend using these and more data points to turn cannabis cultivation intuition into repeatable performance.

Where does collaboration really accelerate learning?

Deron: As more countries legalize, knowledge is moving across borders. Early regulated markets like Canada and select U.S. states have already built frameworks for consistent production and compliance. That expertise is now transferring to new regions such as Thailand, Australia, Colombia and parts of Europe.

When growers in new markets adopt proven systems, they avoid repeating years of trial and error. Access to established SOPs and operational benchmarks accelerates development and prevents common mistakes—especially those tied to facility design, workflow, and environmental control.

I don’t believe that collaboration eliminates local creativity; I think it supports it. Every region will still develop its own style and genetics, but starting from a proven technical foundation shortens the learning curve and stabilizes early production.

Do you still see resistance to scaling knowledge?

Deron: Yes, very often actually. Some growers prefer staying small and fully hands-on—which can produce fantastic product. Those producers maintain the diversity and artistry of the craft of growing cannabis. For larger operations, institutionalizing successful methods is non-negotiable. There is room for both. 

What’s your outlook for knowledge sharing and product diversity?

Deron: As more jurisdictions legalize and markets embrace open knowledge transfer I believe disciplined operations will evolve faster and more sustainably.

When each new region builds on what others have already learned, the global cannabis industry moves forward collectively instead of restarting from zero. It’s the difference between isolated expertise and a connected, informed community of growers.