
Episode 151: Light, Spectrum, and Plant Signals — A Practical Guide with Dr. David Hawley part 1
Cannabis Cultivation and Science PodcastShow Notes
In this episode, I sit down with Dr. David Hawley to talk about what plants actually care about when it comes to light. We dig into how to think in DLI instead of just chasing PPFD numbers, why uniformity matters more than raw power, and how spectrum fine-tunes rather than defines your grow. David breaks down what far-red and UV really do (and don’t do), how to manage leaf temperature as light intensity climbs, and why clean lenses and smart dimming often beat a fancy new fixture. It’s a practical, myth-busting chat about using light as a tool—not a trophy—and it’s packed with tips you can apply right away whether you’re running a living soil facility or just trying to dial in a tent at home.
More from Cannabis Cultivation and Science Podcast
In this episode of the Cannabis Cultivation and Science Podcast, host Tad Hussey catches up with commercial cannabis consultant Greg Larson to tackle one of the most pressing challenges facing organic growers today: passing strict heavy metal compliance testing in tightly regulated states like South Dakota, Minnesota, and Maine.
In this episode, I sit down with soil microbiologist Colin Bell, Ph.D. (Founder and Developer of Mammoth P) to discuss his return to the brand, the science of soil ecology, and the official relaunch of Mammoth P. Colin shares the story behind regaining control of the company, technical improvements to the formula, and how multi-species bacterial consortia drive nutrient availability in living soil and hydro setups. We also walk through practical application best practices and tackle several long-standing industry myths regarding compost teas, alfalfa media, and microbial safety.
In this episode, I sit down with Jared Nieuwenhuis, Founder and CEO of Cannabis ChemLab, an ISO/IEC 17025-accredited laboratory serving medical cannabis programs and national USDA hemp growers. Drawing on over 11 years of experience in laboratory development, environmental testing, and commercial farming, Jared brings an authoritative, science-first perspective to the complex world of analytical testing.
What happens when the very plant celebrated for curing nausea becomes the exact thing causing severe, uncontrollable vomiting?
In this episode of the Cannabis Cultivation and Science Podcast, host Tad Hussey sits down with Dr. Grey Monroe and PhD candidate Matthew Davis from UC Davis to discuss their groundbreaking PNAS paper, "Genome degradation in plant tissue culture." For decades, cannabis growers have reported a phenomenon known as "genetic drift" or "maternal decline," where long-held mother plants or clonal lines seemingly lose their vigor, yield, or terpene profiles over time. This conversation provides a definitive look into the biological mechanisms driving these changes.