KIS Organics

29/10/2026

Ever notice how a joint can start off bright and uplifting, but by the time you get to the roach, you feel heavy and sedated? That isn’t just in your head—it’s organic chemistry. 

In this clip from Episode 172, pharmaceutical scientist Dr. Riley Kirk Riley 🌳💚 breaks down the pyrolysis of cannabis smoke: 

1,000°F Combustion: When you light a joint, fragile monoterpenes (the lighter compounds) are volatilized and pulled through on the first few puffs. By the time you’re halfway through, most of those monoterpenes are completely gone or degraded. 

The Shift to Sesquiterpenes: What survives the heat and builds up in the remaining flower are heavier sesquiterpenes and cannabinoids. This fundamentally alters the chemical ensemble you inhale toward the end of the session, leading to a much more sedating profile. 

“Roaches for Research”: In lab tests analyzing joint roaches, Dr. Kirk’s team found that heavier sesquiterpenes vastly outnumbered monoterpenes, which had almost completely disappeared. 

What’s listed on a raw flower COA is only half the story—understanding what survives combustion is the real frontier. 
Catch our full conversation on Episode 172 of the Cannabis Cultivation and Science Podcast on YouTube, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts (link in bio)!

28/10/2026

27/10/2026

Is a high THC percentage actually telling you anything about flower quality?

In this week’s episode of the Cannabis Cultivation and Science Podcast, I sit down with pharmaceutical scientist Dr. Riley Kirk (Riley 🌳💚 ), Brand Director Tami Kirlis, and Assistant Cultivation Manager Kristopher Roy to break down the science behind aroma and secondary metabolites. 

We dive into:

• The analytical limits of standard COAs and why trace volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs) and esters get missed

• How commercial drying and curing protocols target water activity (a_w) and moisture content to preserve monoterpenes

• The chemistry of consumption: what happens to monoterpenes vs. sesquiterpenes when you light a joint vs. smoke a bowl or v**e

• Why “The Nose Knows” framework organizes cannabis into 6 sensory profiles to replace outdated shopping habits 

Tune in now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or at kisorganics.com. Link in bio!

23/10/2026

Why doesn’t va**ng hit quite the same as traditional smoking?

In this upcoming clip, Tad Hussey, Dr. Riley Kirk Riley 🌳💚 , Tami Kirlis, and Kristopher Edward Roy discuss the unique draw of combustion. Riley breaks down how burning the whole plant material unlocks a broader chemical profile—and how our connection to smoking cannabis might be deeper and more ancestral than we realize.

This conversation ties directly into the Nose Knows Campaign with Nature’s Heritage, where we explore why trusting your natural senses, aroma, and full-spectrum profile matters far more than just high THC numbers.

Full episode dropping next week on the Cannabis Cultivation & Science Podcast. Follow so you do not miss it.

20/10/2026

Day 15 of flower update on the raised bed trial comparing the EnGrow bed versus the Grassroots bed in KiS Organics soil.

Proof that living soil doesn’t require elaborate feeding charts! This setup relies on a simple methodology: quality soil and clean water delivered through the Blumat system. No extra inputs added, and both beds are performing equally well.

Today’s main task is defoliation. Once the new cords arrive, drivers are moving outside the room to drop temperatures so the under-canopy lights can be powered up.

Drop any questions or comments below!

14/10/2026

A lot of you have been asking about the fan set up in the corner of my EnGrow bed. It works by pushing air through a small air gap underneath the raised soil platform. Since all the other caps are sealed, that air has nowhere to go but straight up through the soil column, delivering crucial dissolved oxygen to the root zone.

It also features a threaded drain at the bottom, which makes draining or flushing the bed as simple as hooking up a hose.

Compare that to my traditional Grassroots fabric pot setup on a drain tray with a custom Unistrut frame, which took a lot of labor to assemble and runs a higher risk of spillage when draining.

Shoutout to Collective Elevation for the advice on making a unistrut roller frame for my Grassroots bed. If you want to learn more about that, I have a full video on the KIS Organics YouTube Channel.

For this run, I am comparing both systems side by side to see how they perform when it comes to overall growth and yield. I will keep you posted on the results.

12/10/2026

The biggest misconception about living soil is that it has to be labor-intensive. In reality, a well-balanced, science-based soil profile does the heavy lifting for you.

While taking time out to let my knee heal from surgery, my Grow Sensor has made it possible to keep close tabs on environmental parameters and moisture levels without stepping foot in the grow room.

Here is where the room stands on pure water and automated monitoring:

* Water Only & Soil Science: Running fresh KiS Organics Living Soil paired with Blumat automated irrigation. Zero liquid feed, zero additives, and zero extra fertility inputs. Both the EnGrow - Raised Garden Beds and Grassroots are performing exceptionally well on moisture control alone.

* Biocontrol IPM: Relying on targeted natural predators (Neoseiulus californicus and Phytoseiulus persimilis) to handle two-spotted spider mites after a couple of knock down sprays using Epishield and Grow Safe.

* Data-Driven Diagnostics: Next up is fine-tuning light height, doing a light defoliation, and evaluating under-canopy lighting metrics based on room thermal capacity.

When you align soil biology with simple precision tools, organic cultivation becomes predictable, hands-off, and repeatable. Not only is this method less labor, but it also is way less expensive than some of these feeding charts and programs that rely on marketing over science.

If you’re interested in making the switch, or already grow in Living Soil but want to dial it in to improve plant health and save money, hit us up!

09/10/2026

Think hand-tight is enough for your drip tape fittings? Think again!

Cooper Cooper from Sustainable Village drops the #1 mistake growers make when setting up Blumat systems. If your fittings aren’t torqued past hand-tight with pliers, you’re bound to run into leaks and strange system errors.

Check out our latest YouTube video for the complete, step-by-step 4x4 bed setup guide with Tad Hussey and Brandon Hudson.

If you’re interested in blumats for your setup, hit us up!

07/10/2026

I’m back! First off, I want to apologize for the lack of podcasts in recent weeks. Between hosting our big Cannabis Cultivation and Science Conference in Bozeman, getting my daughter off to her first day of first grade, and recovering from total knee replacement surgery, it’s been a wild couple of months. The brain fog and pain have finally subsided, and I’m feeling great to be back behind the mic on a regular schedule.

In this episode, I’m catching up with my good friend Greg Larson, a commercial cannabis consultant specializing in organic living soil systems and heavy metal reduction.
If you’re growing organically in states with strict heavy metal limits like South Dakota, Minnesota, or Maine, you know how tough passing compliance testing can be. Greg and I break down:

How we used ICP-MS lab testing to audit every single input in a facility (down to the trim gloves and irrigation lines).

Why land-based inputs like bovine bone meal outperform ocean-based inputs for heavy metal safety.

Using soil chemistry—specifically pH and phosphorus management—to block arsenic uptake pathways.

Why pulling root masses after every harvest actually lowers heavy metal levels in your soil cycle after cycle.

The huge advantages of living soil beds over containers for buffering heavy metals and cutting labor costs.

Check out the full episode on your favorite podcast platform or watch the video on YouTube.

06/10/2026

Quick room update from my home grow.

Here is how the trial between the EnGrow and Grassroots Living Soil Beds are tracking as we transition into bloom:

Pest Control: The plants arrived root-bound and with two-spotted spider mites. A couple of Grow Safe Oil applications followed by a release of Phytoseiulus Persimilis Predatory Mites from Beneficial Insectory cleared them right up. Scouting shows zero living mites but I have some Californicus sachets arriving this week just in case.

Automated and Water-Only: Setup features Blumat Watering Systems and Grow Sensor Pro to monitor light levels, soil moisture, and humidity remotely. Since these are in fresh soil, this cycle will be strictly water-only.

Flipped to Flower: The plants vegged for about a week and a half to recover before being flipped to flower yesterday. Both grow beds are neck-and-neck in terms of growth and health.

Taking a mostly hands-off approach this run while recovering from knee surgery, letting the automated setup and soil ecosystem do the work with minimal pruning and training.

Gear Up: You can grab everything featured in this video—including our Living Soil, Lighting Systems, Custom Blumat Watering Systems, Grow Safe, Beneficial Insects, and the Grow Sensor Pro directly through the KIS Organics website.

Plus, the Grow Sensor Pro is currently on sale! Head to the link in our bio to shop the setup and get your room dialed in.

How would you setup a grow right after a surgery so it can be as hands off as possible?

Let me know in the comments.