Philipp Matzneller
Nov 11, 2022
Collecting and interpreting data for fertigation
Fertigation at Scale: Why Data Matters
As cannabis cultivation grows in scale and complexity, traditional small-grow methods often fall short. Philipp Matzneller of Sostanza Global explains that fertigation—the process of feeding plants through irrigation—is one of the most common problem areas in large operations.
“What works in a basement grow doesn’t translate directly to a commercial greenhouse.”
Tailoring Fertilizer Programs to Your System
The cannabis fertilizer market is saturated with options, but not all products perform equally—especially across different substrates, cultivars, and environments. Sostanza encourages producers to:
Customize nutrient formulations for their facility
Monitor uptake through tissue tests and runoff data
Use plant-specific and system-specific adjustments
Collect, Interpret, Improve
A successful fertigation strategy hinges on accurate, ongoing data collection and interpretation. Key variables include:
Electrical conductivity (EC)
pH of solution and media
Leaf tissue mineral content
Substrate moisture levels
These can be tracked manually or with sensors, depending on the operation’s scale. Even with automation, Matzneller notes that manual spot-checks remain useful.
Make the Data Work for You
Data can accumulate quickly. That’s why growers need tools for organizing and analyzing it:
Small operations may use spreadsheets
Larger ones benefit from specialized software
Interpreting this data enables informed decisions—tuning irrigation, adjusting fertilizer ratios, and improving system performance over time.
A Continuous Process
From design to operations, Sostanza helps growers build systems that optimize themselves through feedback loops. In a competitive market, the ability to adapt and fine-tune with confidence offers a lasting advantage.