Maximum Yield Canada July/August 2017

I ended up growing for the restaurant.
Hydro, I thought, was a way to the
future, and I enjoyed growing and
working with plants.” Many years
later, Desert Greens H 2O was born.
Desert Greens H 2O’s vertical grow
units produce four to six times
the crop yield of current standard
hydroponic greenhouses. “Our grow
units allow for the utilization of the
entire length, width, and height
of the greenhouse, which exponentially
increases both crop size
and harvestable plant material,”
explains Blount. “As an example, in
2,160 square feet, we can fit 25,630
grow spaces, and in our standard
60x72-foot greenhouse systems
application, we offer 40,000-plus
grow sites.” Compared to traditional
farming, the increased yield
is staggering, Blount adds, citing
that, according to North Carolina
State University, one acre of land is
required to produce 26,000 heads of
small lettuce per full harvest in soil.
Its unique set-up isn’t the only
thing boosting Desert Greens H 2O’s
position in the growing market—
the company is also able to grow
year-round. “Traditional grows are
limited by seasonal conditions,
which allow for a maximum of
two to three harvests per year,
whereas we have the ability to grow
year-round with 12 harvests per
year,” explains Blount. Another
advantage the company has going
for it is water conservation. “Desert
Greens H 2O utilizes a closed-loop
system, which expresses more than
90 per cent in water savings over
traditional soil grows,” Blount says.
All that being said, Desert Greens
is in more than just the leafy greens
business. It is set to both license or
sell its systems to other companies.
“Our next-generation grow systems
are replicable for commercial
applications, ensuring that a bettertasting,
nutrient-laden product can be
grown consistently in a large area. We
are a hydroponic and aeroponic grow
systems company that would like to
help farmers reach pinnacle levels of
crop yield. As such, we are pleased
to not just manufacture our systems
for resale, but we are here to install
and train operational staff on our
proprietary systems.”
Tom Blount discusses the key elements that make up his unique grow systems.
For anyone considering maximizing
their yields with A-frames within
greenhouses, Desert Greens H 2O are
your guys, no matter your current
structure. “We can retrofit any existing
greenhouse structure. We offer three
different management packages and
offer live-time monitoring of the greenhouse,
combined with daily greenhouse
climate and water conditions,” shares
Blount. In addition, Desert Greens has
also developed a proprietary nutrient
blend, created with pharmaceutical-grade
ingredients, to help growers
get off to the right start.
Starting without a structure? Desert
Greens can also help with that. “We
have a strategic alliance with Atlas
Greenhouse, whom we recommend
for the product quality, strength of
structure, and ability to customize
their greenhouse sizes,” says Blount.
“ Desert Greens H 2 O’s
vertical grow units produce
four to six times the crop
yield of current standard
hydroponic greenhouses.”
“We have found that in the southern
Nevada climate the most efficient size
greenhouse is 60x72 feet. We have three
systems, all of which may be either
downsized or up-scaled depending
on the grow application. Owners can
choose from the Oxygen-Infused
A-Frame System (OIAF), the Over
Head Vining System (OHV), or the
Large Plant System (LP).”
​So, what’s coming up next for
this innovative company? Desert
Greens H 2O is collaborating with the
University of Nevada in an effort to
obtain white papers confirming water
savings, carbon footprint, square
foot crop production numbers, and
increased nutrient values. Blount
says his primary goal is to have every
plant in his systems reach 100 per cent
of their DNA capacity, with minimal
impact on the environment.
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