In Episode 143, host Cian is joined by expert guests Jason Van Leuven, Director of Applied Technology at AROYA, and Jeff Hegyi, Director of Cultivation at Xotic Brandz in Detroit. This week, we’re peeling back the curtain on cultivation operations that span both single-tier and double-stack rooms—giving you real-world insights that could help you save money and boost your yields.

Jeff shares his hands-on experience managing a mixed facility with a wide range of cultivars and multi-tiered setups, highlighting the nuts and bolts of sensor density, placement strategies, and practical data collection, no matter your budget.

If you’ve ever wondered about the real-world impact of heat stratification in multi-tier rooms, how to steer multiple strains at scale, or how nuanced sensor data can elevate your crop steering, this episode’s for you.

Plus, the team tackles listener questions on dialing in your environment, avoiding mold during heavy bulking phases, the realities of market compression, and why sharing knowledge—not gatekeeping—is the future of successful cannabis cultivation.

00:00 Sensor Placement in Multi-Tier Setups
03:20 Optimizing Costs with Sensor Investment
09:35 Adaptive Sensor Deployment Strategies
12:13 Optimizing Sensor Data for Cultivation
14:50 Cultivar Monitoring and Adjustments
19:39 Cultivation Issues with Gas Strains
21:41 Managing Light and Nutrient Levels
26:51 Optimizing Plant Growth Conditions
28:22 Avoiding Mold in LED Grow Rooms
32:06 Preventing Pathogen Spread in Plants
37:01 Plants Outgrowing Trellis Nets Rapidly
40:14 Sustaining Success in Cultivation
43:03 Innovative Community Advancing Plant Science
47:01 Market Saturation and Survival Strategy
51:31 Market Trends and Challenges
54:30 Conversation Highlights with Jeff Hegyi