Cannabis Cultivation and Science Podcast

Key Takeaways & Highlights

Mammoth P Relaunch & Product Updates

The Return: After stepping away in late 2022 and spending three years working with the Microbial Mass Pro team, Colin bought back and officially relaunched the Mammoth brand.

~70% Price Reduction: Streamlined, scalable manufacturing allowed Colin to drop the price by roughly 70% compared to legacy pricing, making it significantly more accessible for all growers...

This episode covers the key scientific drivers behind lab result variability, from instrument calibration down to field sampling practices.

Understanding Reference Standards: How analytical instruments use commercially available reference standards to construct calibration curves for testing unknown samples.

The Potency Variability Study: Insights from Cannabis ChemLab’s study overlaying 35 different THCA standards, demonstra...

The Reality of CHS and the 1,100+ Patient Study

Dr. Peterson highlights the scope of his landmark survey, which gathered data from 1,134 CHS sufferers. The study reveals that CHS is not an acute reaction to a single session, but rather a chronic, low-level dysregulation of the endocannabinoid system (ECS) that predominantly impacts heavy, long-term consumers.

Frequency of Use: 96.5% of study participants consumed cannabis ...

The Mechanics of Genetic Drift Plants are natural genetic mosaics. As they grow and divide over time, typos naturally accumulate in their DNA code, which are known as somatic mutations. Traditional vegetative cuttings and field-grown plants accumulate these mutations at a very low, linear baseline rate over decades. However, the extreme genomic degradation highlighted in the paper is driven by rapid generational cell cycling in vit...

In this conversation, host Tad Hussey (KIS Organics) and Dr. Deron Caplan (CannaCribs Horticulture Consulting) discuss the intersection of agricultural science and commercial cannabis cultivation, focusing heavily on irrigation, lighting, and research methodologies.

Drought Stress vs. Drybacks: Dr. Caplan clarifies a major industry misconception by distinguishing standard irrigation "drybacks" from actual "drought stress." He expla...

In this episode, we discuss:

Bridging the Genetic Gap: Looking critically at how horticultural research transfers between high-THC cultivars and industrial hemp.

The 13-Hour Photoperiod: Breaking the traditional 12/12 cycle to achieve a 39%–50% yield increase and a 9% THC boost.

Linear Light Scaling: The direct relationship between light intensity and flower yield scaling all the way up to 1,800 micromoles under ambient CO2.

...

o keep the audience engaged while highlighting the technical value of the episode, this version focuses on the "why" and the high-level takeaways, leaving the "how" for the audio.

Podcast Summary

In this episode, Tad Hussey of KIS Organics talks with plant pathologist Dr. Nicole Gauthier to separate fact from fiction regarding cannabis pathogens. The discussion moves past the basics of "mold" to look at the specific scienc...

Key Takeaways & Discussion Highlights

The Railroad Roots: Joey’s transition from a Union Pacific engineer to a "vigilante botanist." He discusses the influence of Carl Sagan’s The Demon-Haunted World and using science as a "candle in the dark" in a consumerist society.

Botany for the "Jaded Working Class": Why academic botany often fails to connect with the public and why Joey targets the "cynical, maladjus...

Why can't you just use canola oil from your kitchen to kill spider mites? If you’ve ever wondered about the true science behind oil-based pesticides, this episode is a deep dive into the physics and chemistry of plant protection. Tad and Julie Graesch explore why oils remain one of the most effective tools for managing resistant pest populations like two-spotted spider mites and thrips.

In this episode, we cover:

Physical Mod...

Key Takeaways for Cultivators

The Week 3 Strategy: Preventive sprays for Botrytis must occur when the flowers are still small and "open." Once the bud swells (Weeks 6+), the pathogen is already locked inside.

Airflow is Everything: Buds act as heat sinks. Use fans 24/7 to cool the internal temperature of the flower, which is significantly higher than your room’s ambient temperature.

Identify Your Mold: If your bud ro...

Key Topics & Notes

• Why experienced crop consultants rely heavily on chemical soil analysis for making management decisions
• The limitations of relying solely on biological soil testing
• Why soil structure and aggregation play a critical role in plant health
• How soil physical properties influence water movement, aeration, and root development
• The importance of walking fields and directly inte...

Key Takeaways:

Botany vs. Hacks: Moving past "quick fixes" to understand the biological lens of plant science.

The Limiting Factor: Learning to identify the specific environmental or nutritional gaps holding your plants back.

Timeless Principles: Why botanical fundamentals are the most reliable tools in a cultivator’s shed, regardless of changing trends.

Applied Horticulture: Bridging the gap between academic theory and high-...

The Underground Economy: Carbon as Currency

Biological Gold: Why photosynthesis isn't just about plant growth—it’s about minting the "carbon currency" required to hire a microbial workforce.

The Exudate Menu: A breakdown of Monosaccharides (fast cash), Polysaccharides (savings accounts), and Organic Acids (specialized mining tools).

The Trading Post: How the plant uses targeted "buy orders" to trade energy for the speci...

This episode is part of the Foundations of Soil & Plant Science series — a selection of conversations that continue to influence how I approach soil health, plant performance, and cultivation systems. I’ve added a short new intro to each re-release with updated perspective and context.

Originally released as Episode 20

My guest for this episode is Ben Hartman, farmer and author of The Lean Farm.

Ben operates Clay Botto...

My guest for this episode is Dr. Wendy Zellner.

Dr. Zellner received her doctorate from the University of Toledo in 2012, where she trained in molecular and cellular biology with a focus on the role of silicon in plant defense responses. She then completed a four-year postdoctoral position with the USDA-ARS, continuing her research on how silicon can alleviate both abiotic and biotic stress in crops such as tomato and tobacco.

Her wo...

Guest: Julie Graesch
Biological Scientist | IPM Specialist
Currently with BioWorks
Formerly: BASF, Becker Underwood, Iowa State University

Topics Covered:

What “entomopathogenic fungi” actually means

How fungi like Beauveria and Metarhizium infect insect pests

Differences between blastospores and conidia

Why formulation and environmental conditions matter

Common reasons fungal biocontrol applications fail

Pre...

n this conversation with plant scientist and commercial cultivation strategist Dr. Matthew Indest, we explore the emerging frontier of seed-based cannabis production and what it would take for the industry to move beyond clonal propagation.

We cover:

The agronomic upside of seed-grown plants (disease resistance, vigor, adaptability, cost savings)

The scientific and operational barriers preventing widespread seed adoption

How genetic st...

This wide-ranging conversation with Bryant Mason covers a series of essential—but frequently misunderstood—topics in organic cultivation. We explore why simple, low-tech data collection strategies often outperform high-tech systems and how to interpret those readings in the real world. From there, we break down how pH truly behaves in biologically active soils, what your water test results do and don’t tell you, a...

In this conversation, Tad and Dr. David Hawley (Chief Science Officer at Fluence) unpack what really matters when dialing in your lighting strategy for cannabis and other high-value crops. They get deep into how plants perceive light, what “good spectrum” actually means, and how to think about intensity, uniformity, and plant response in a more scientific (and practical) way.

Topics covered include:

Understanding Daily Li...