Growing Conditions
Cannabis originates in Central Asia and the Indian subcontinent; a warm, relatively dry climate. The plant still requires a similar environment to thrive. Cannabis does best when it is in a 70 to 80-degree environment that has between 60 and 70 percent humidity, which is reduced over time until it reaches around 40 percent when the plant is fully mature. It is a temperamental plant that does not do well when its environment is not ideal.
For example, in a climate like Seattle in the winter, it is usually so rainy and overcast that the few hours of sunlight they see during the day are poor quality, certainly nowhere near enough quality daylight to help your plants grow. If the sun gets blocked by the clouds for several hours, that is several hours your plants are not getting what they need. If you use artificial grow lights, you have complete control of the sunlight your plants get to ensure they get what they need.
When you are growing cannabis on a commercial scale, you may not necessarily want the general public to be aware of where you are growing. If you use a warehouse, you have some anonymity to your location, which can help with your security. Larger plants can be worth thousands of dollars when harvested, and a big enough grow building has the potential to hold millions of dollars in cannabis, so security must be a priority when setting up your facility.
There are measures that can be taken to help protect a greenhouse from extreme winter weather, like sheltering them from wind, keeping them heated during freezing temperatures, and reinforcing the structure. However, there is still a risk to your crops with a greenhouse, because it is such a fragile material. One good way to help reinforce your greenhouse is to have it framed in steel, to lend it some of the protection and durability steel provides. In this case, a steel building is the best option, as it has been known to stand up to hurricanes, high winds, earthquakes, and other weather events.
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