Unlike states like Oklahoma, where cannabis licenses have been distributed without limitation, resulting in various effects on the market, Maryland is a limited-license state, making its market somewhat stronger for the companies involved. Currently, there are 18 growers in the state serving 98 dispensaries. CULTA is one of those growers and has been active for years, carving out a prominent role in the Maryland cannabis industry. With a combination of indoor and outdoor cultivation, CULTA has diversified its offerings to allow people to experience the quality of their products at any price point. "Quality cannabis for me is something that grows well, smells great, looks great, and tastes great," says Tom Moylan, Director of Cultivation at CULTA. "We try to find those genetics that please every palate."
Efficiency the top priority
When dealing with thousands of plants, it's no wonder that things need to run as smoothly and efficiently as possible. "We have two veg rooms and six flower rooms, all operated under the same fertigation strategy and computer system," he explains. "Plants are all grown in coco pots – that's our style for hydro growing. On top of that, we have the benefit of having half of our flower rooms equipped with HPS, while the other half are double-stack LED, allowing us to run cultivars that work best with specific types of lighting setups."
Like many growers, CULTA used to source its genetics from various breeders. However, a year and a half ago, Tom started the first CULTA in-house breeding projects. "New genetics will hit the market in February 2025. This has been a long time coming, and I'm really proud of what we've accomplished."
Biosecurity
Unlike many other growers, CULTA starts from seed, which can be quite challenging. This is why biosecurity measures are exceptionally important. "Our IPM regimen is more intensive during the veg stage. We use oil-based sprays, as well as mineral oil-based sprays. Most problems are related to the growing environment and the employees. That's why everyone here wears scrubs and has to change when they come in. The bottom line is prevention."
That mentality drove CULTA to invest in ProGuard units. "The ProGuard units provide a level of biosecurity and control that truly gives us significant peace of mind," Tom explains. "The state was changing its regulations on testing, making it more stringent. So, we made that move to keep the microbial counts as low as possible. We've installed the ProGuard units throughout the facility, including hallways, veg rooms, and flower rooms – all production areas. They are constantly scrubbing the air, cleaning it with UV technology. This has been one of the factors preventing increases in failure problems, and I want to keep it that way."
Mike D'Ambra, Founder of Innovative Solutions, explains that ProGuard stands apart from other technologies because it is specifically designed for the unique challenges of high-humidity cannabis cultivation environments. "What makes ProGuard truly unique is its 'Active' sanitization process, which continuously seeks out and eliminates pathogens throughout the entire room. This gives growers peace of mind, knowing their cultivation spaces are being actively protected around the clock 24/7."
In environments with hundreds or even thousands of plants and high humidity, mold and mildew spores are always present, waiting for the right conditions to spread and cause contamination outbreaks. ProGuard's active sanitization process constantly reduces mold and mildew, making it an ideal solution for large-scale commercial operations like CULTA. It helps maintain a clean, sanitized environment, reducing the risk of contamination and ensuring a healthier grow cycle.
"We take pride in the role that ProGuard plays in supporting CULTA's mission to maintain a pristine environment," says D'Ambra. "With ProGuard managing sanitization, they can focus on improving the quality and yields of their crops, continually raising the bar for the highest-quality cannabis available."
Increasing quality
New developments are coming to cultivation at CULTA, as the company is experimenting with under-canopy lighting. "Side lighting or under-canopy lighting is definitely one of the newer innovations that will help create bigger buds and increase our overall quality."
This is an important aspect for a company that prides itself on having a community mindset. "We are very much a cannabis innovation company," says Shannon Sweeney, Brand Marketing manager at CULTA. "We are constantly pushing the boundaries to produce products with the same CULTA quality for everyone. This is why we are building a lot of different products. We have a cutting-edge facility, outdoor cultivation that is pretty unique for Maryland, and we are vertically integrated, allowing us to control the entire supply chain and maintain brand consistency throughout the customer experience. Having the ProGuard units in our facility to provide our plants with a clean environment is a comforting peace of mind."
