TechGrow, controlled growth processes

If you grow marijuana indoors, technology helps you improve growth processes in the best possible way. Many growers are now familiar with techniques for controlling and adapting CO2, light, temperature and humidity levels in their indoor spaces. The Dutch company TechGrow has developed advanced electronic devices, including measurement instruments, sensors and automatic data recorders for CO2, climate and light control. These devices are useful for a wide range of applications in indoor urban horticulture.

Why is carbon dioxide so important?

In nature, a plant uses energy from the sunlight to convert CO2 (carbon dioxide) from the air and water into carbohydrates (glucose) and release oxygen. This process is called photosynthesis. Glucose (C6H12O6), a compound whose main component is carbon, is an important source of energy for a plant and indispensible for the structure of, among other things, vegetable cells, proteins, acids, vitamins and hormones. Indoor professional growers feed CO2 into their indoor facilities for consumption by plants. To that end, gas burners have been used for decades in Dutch greenhouses. Carbon dioxide is released through the combustion of natural gas and this helps plants continue to change CO2 into glucose in the best possible conditions. Plants will also grow optimally and maximise yields, which is why the Dutch exports of vegetables have reached record levels year after year.

TechGrow

CO2 is transformed by a plant only when the sun shines on its leaves. At this very time, therefore, an extra quantity of CO2 is needed and high profits can be earned by efficiently controlling the supply of CO2 and light. The TechGrow founders have always been aware of this and, ten years ago, they decided to start a new business. There is a lot of knowhow behind the TechGrow name, i.e. a combination of knowledge of plant growth processes and passion for electronics. Our company developed devices that are suited to new forms of indoor urban growing. This innovation was desperately needed because the existing techniques were too complex and only meant for large-scale greenhouse farmers and mass producers, while the new market segment of small growers was left out. Our developed solutions are leading-edge, 100% Dutch, user-friendly products meant for continuous operation. By optimising its procurement process in 2017, our company can now offer top quality products at affordable prices.

Electronic devices for large and small scale growers alike

Electronic devices to control plant growth processes are no longer a prerogative of growers owning large cultivated areas. Technology is now made available to small-scale growers owning plots as small as only ten square metres and the payback period for the use of these devices is therefore reduced. There are even growers using these control units in an indoor space of a few square metres. In this case, yields are 35% higher compared to a situation with no control units and the plant growth process is closely monitored and adapted accordingly. This difference in yields makes the investment highly attractive and advantageous. Of course, the majority of growers who are interested in this type of controlled growth processes cannot shift suddenly from a ‘no-control’ to a ‘total control’ situation. A grower needs time to understand how to best use this type of devices in a specific growth condition.

Products

TechGrow’s flagship product is the T1-CO2 control unit. This device is used to supply CO2 at the desired level in a sheltered facility. The basic functions of this T1-CO2 controller include dosage delay, impulse dosage, a dosage record function and dosage statistics for the last ten days. However, the product that is bound to radically change the management of growth processes is our Ballast Connect light-control unit. This control unit gradually switches on six lamps, which avoids a situation in which all lamps are simultaneously powered on. A control panel allows the same control unit to be connected to another set of six lamps in order to centrally control 6 x 6 (or 36) lamps in total. The basic functions of Ballast Connect include temperature control, power-on control, an amperometer, two clocks (an asymmetrical timer and a 24-hour clock) and an event recorder, which records anything that happens in an indoor space. Tech Grow is all this: timers, sensor-based data recorders, humidity control devices, CO2 meters, air conditioners…. All TechGrow products are highly qualitative, reliable and manufactured in the Netherlands. A budget product line was also developed to offer products to small-scale growers at affordable prices. Without compromising on safety and quality, these products are less sophisticated so they can be offered at a lower price. For further information check our website: www.techgrow.nl TechGrow Laan van Waalhaven 167 2497GK Den Haag The Netherlands E-mail: Info@techgrow.nl