Cannabis cultivators know that buying the cheapest doesn’t equal cutting costs, especially when it comes to substrate, but how do you quantify the difference? How can you prove that spending a bit more per plant can deliver measurable results, including higher quality crops and increased revenue? We ran some numbers based on real-world cannabis grower experiences, and have some clear answers.

While speaking to our customers and gathering data from them, we discovered that when growers switch to bio365’s clean living soil, they’ll generally spend about $0.25 more per plant on our higher quality soil. However, the gains in terms of improved crops and plant value are significant.

Based on cannabis cultivators’ experiences, spending $0.25 more per plant to use bio365 substrate leads to hundreds of dollars of increased value derived from larger plants, faster grow times, better plant quality, and improved yields.

The Data Tells a Story Growers Should Not Ignore

This summer, we met with a well-known cultivator to quantify the gains they would see if they switched from their current substrate to bio365 BIOCOCO. The cultivator ran a trial, pitting BIOCOCO against two other well-known coir substrates, both of which are slightly less expensive than bio365.

By paying a mere 25 cents more per plant, the cultivator achieved the following gains:

Autoflower plants yielded 75g more per unit
Photoperiod plants yielded 300g more per unit

In their market, they were able to sell their flower wholesale for $2.20 / gram.

That means they grew their revenue by plant:

$165 more per autoflower
$660 more per photoperiod

That represents a phenomenal return on investment:

662% for autoflower
2,640% for photoperiod

These numbers don’t even take into account the value of a chemotype shift!

For example, a large multi-state operator (MSO) in Massachusetts switched to bio365 BIOCOCO substrate from Rockwool (Grodan) and saw measurable improvement to its total cannabinoids (including THC), terpenes, and yield:

Total Cannabinoids: 35% increase
THC %: 36% increase
Terpenes %: 48%

This story isn’t unique. We have data from many clients that clearly quantifies the significant gains cannabis growers experienced after switching from another, cheaper substrate to bio365 clean living soil. There really is no comparison when you see the data.

5 Key Benefits of Spending 25 Cents More Per Plant

Switching to bio365 substrate provides numerous quantitative gains. The five key benefits we hear cannabis growers mention most often include:

1. Improved Plant Quality

Higher quality plants and crops for cannabis cultivators who use bio365 soil products come from bio365’s bioCHARGE, which uses our patented combination of cultured biology, biochar, and bioavailable nutrients to enhance chemotype expression and drive higher terpenes and cannabinoids.

bioCHARGE, combined with our dual buffer, also allows growers to more easily steer crops through water management, thus, making it easier to steer crops to desired chemotype outcomes.

2. Improved Yield

We hear stories about large yield improvements like the above all the time, and we see the data to prove the stories are true. How does it happen? The answer is bio365’s bioCHARGE. It includes a combination of wide-spectrum biology and biochar, which leads to increased yields.

Specifically, growers who switch to bio365 living soil see less transplant shock, faster crop cycles, and higher yield per plant. Furthermore, growers see a decrease in the pests and pathogens that prevent drag on plant growth.

Another way bio365 clean living soil improves yields is through higher air porosity, which provides more room for both the root growth and oxygen that are needed to maximize plant growth. Most substrates used by cannabis cultivators have two levels of pore space – macro-pores and micro-pores, but bio365’s growing media includes a third level of pore space – nano-pores.

The nano- level of pore space is part of bio365’s patented biochar technology, and it opens a microscopic level of pores for plants to consistently access more of the air they need to develop a bigger and better root structure. Air porosity across bio365’s entire substrate line ranges from 20-24% while competitor products’ air porosity ranges from 4-18%.

3. Nutrients, Water, and Amendment Savings

When you invest $0.25 per plant on bio365 living soil, you’ll save money in many other ways. In addition to labor savings (discussed in #5 below), you’ll also save money on nutrients, water, and amendments.

The reason you’ll see measurable reductions in nutrient, water, and amendment costs is thanks to bio365’s bioCHARGE combined with our dual buffer, which means less fertilizer and other amendments are needed. In fact, you probably won’t need to use any amendments at all when you use bio365 substrate because everything cannabis plants need to thrive is available to your plants when each plant needs it.

You’ll also lose less money on wasted water and nutrients because bio365’s patented and proprietary biochar, bioCORE, anchors nutrients, water, and beneficial biology so these important inputs don’t wash out.

In addition, bioCHARGE enables plant signaling between the bio365 grow media and your crop, so your plants get the food and water they need on-demand – even between feedings. When your plants can get the water they need exactly when they need it, you’ll reduce the risk of over- or under-watering as well as the costs associated with over-watering.

4. Reduced Cycle Time

Efficiency will increase dramatically when you switch to bio365 soil because your plants will grow better and faster. That means your cycle time will be reduced. With healthier, higher quality plants that grow faster, you’ll have more crops to sell, and you’ll be able to sell them for higher prices.

5. Labor Savings

When you switch to bio365 soil, you’ll see measurable labor savings in multiple ways. For example, when you use bio365 grow bags, you’ll eliminate labor costs and time related to transplanting as well as the associated risks and delays that come with transplanting.

When you don’t have to transplant, water, and feed as frequently, and when you know you don’t have to worry as much about pests and pathogens, you can hire fewer employees, and fewer employees have to be highly skilled with the high salaries that come with those skills.

Growers also appreciate how consistent and forgiving bio365 media is. When you use a more forgiving soil, you’ll save time and money because you’ll grow healthier plants without sacrificing quality or consistency.

Key Takeaways about Spending More on Substrate to Gain A Lot More in Value

If you’re willing to spend just $0.25 more per plant on bio365’s clean living soil substrate that was developed specifically for controlled environments, you’ll get hundreds of dollars in value improvements. It’s that simple.

Still not convinced, contact us to request a free trial. We can help you run a test to see what the difference in your plant quality, cycle time, yield, and costs would be if you switched to bio365 clean living soil. We can also share case studies from numerous cannabis cultivators of varying sizes located across the country, so you can see how their grows and businesses benefited with the introduction of bio365 substrate.

bio365 blog

How to Spend 25 Cents More Per Plant and Gain Hundreds of Dollars in Increased Value