Introduction: Why a Checklist Matters

In vertical farming, consistency is everything. Missing a single day of pH adjustment or skipping a weekly system check can lead to crop loss, reduced yield, or equipment failure.

This checklist breaks down every task you need to run a healthy farm — daily, weekly, and monthly. Use it as a template and customize it for your specific setup.

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Part 1: Daily Tasks (Every Day)

These tasks take 15-30 minutes total but prevent 90% of common problems.

Morning Check (Start of Light Cycle)

Task	What to Check	Action if Issue Found
Lights turn on	Confirm all LED fixtures are on at scheduled time	Check timer, replace faulty drivers
Water circulation	Pumps running, water flowing through all channels	Clean pump intake, check for blockages
Air circulation	Fans operating, no dead air zones	Adjust fan position, clean fan blades
Temperature	20-24°C (depending on crop stage)	Adjust HVAC or heaters
Humidity	55-75% (depending on crop stage)	Adjust humidifier/dehumidifier

Mid-Day Check (During Light Cycle)

Task	What to Check	Action if Issue Found
Visual plant inspection	Look for yellowing, wilting, spots, pests	Isolate affected plants, adjust nutrients
Water level	Reservoir above minimum line	Top up with pH-adjusted water
EC reading	Compare to target (1.2-2.0 depending on crop)	Add nutrients if low, dilute if high
pH reading	Target 5.5-6.5	Add pH up or down as needed
Leaks	Check connections, channels, pipes	Tighten fittings, replace damaged parts

Afternoon Check (End of Light Cycle)

Task	What to Check	Action if Issue Found
Lights turn off	Confirm lights shut off on schedule	Check timer settings
Temperature drop	Night temp should be 2-4°C cooler	Adjust if needed
Log data	Record EC, pH, temp, humidity in logbook	Compare to previous days
Clean work area	Wipe spills, organize tools	Prevents pests and accidents

Daily Log Template

Date	Time	EC	pH	Temp (°C)	Humidity (%)	Water Level	Notes

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Part 2: Weekly Tasks (Every 7 Days)

Set aside 1-2 hours each week for deeper maintenance.

Nutrient Management

Task	How to Do It	Why It Matters
Change nutrient solution	Drain reservoir completely, mix fresh	Prevents salt buildup and pathogen growth
Clean reservoir	Wipe down with mild disinfectant, rinse well	Removes biofilm and algae
Calibrate EC meter	Use calibration solution (usually 1.413 mS/cm or 2.77 mS/cm)	Ensures accurate readings
Calibrate pH meter	Use pH 4.0 and 7.0 calibration solutions	Prevents incorrect pH adjustments

System Inspection

Task	What to Look For	Action
Check all pipes and fittings	Cracks, leaks, mineral buildup	Replace or clean
Inspect pump intake	Debris, root material blocking	Clean intake screen
Check air stones (if used)	Reduced bubbles, clogged pores	Clean with brush or replace
Inspect grow channels	Algae buildup, root blockages	Clean channels, clear blockages

Plant Health

Task	What to Look For	Action
Remove dead leaves	Yellow or brown leaves at base	Cut cleanly, remove from system
Check root color	White = healthy, brown = problem	If brown, consider adding beneficial bacteria
Measure plant height	Compare to growth targets	Adjust light or nutrients if off track
Thin crowded plants	Leaves touching excessively	Remove smaller plants to give space

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Part 3: Monthly Tasks (Every 30 Days)

Set aside 3-4 hours for comprehensive maintenance.

Deep Cleaning

Task	How to Do It	Frequency
Full system flush	Run cleaning solution (hydrogen peroxide or commercial cleaner) through entire system	Monthly
Disinfect grow channels	Remove from system, scrub with brush and disinfectant	Monthly
Clean LED lights	Wipe dust off fixtures and lenses	Monthly
Clean fans and filters	Remove dust from blades and intake filters	Monthly
Clean work surfaces and floors	Mop with disinfectant	Weekly to Monthly

Equipment Calibration

Equipment	Calibration Frequency	How to Calibrate
EC meter	Monthly	Use calibration solution
pH meter	Monthly	Use pH 4.0 and 7.0 solutions
Temperature sensor	Every 3 months	Compare to reference thermometer
Humidity sensor	Every 3 months	Use salt test or compare to reference
Light meter (PAR)	Every 6 months	Compare to known reference

Crop Management

Task	What to Track	Action
Harvest yield	Weight per square meter	Compare to previous months
Crop cycle time	Days from seed to harvest	Look for trends (longer cycles = problems)
Pest history	What pests, where, how treated	Adjust prevention strategy
Nutrient usage	Liters or gallons per week	Look for changes indicating leaks or waste
Electricity usage	kWh per week	Calculate cost per harvest

Inventory Check

Item	What to Check	Reorder When
Nutrient A/B/C	Amount remaining	Below 25%
pH up/down	Amount remaining	Below 25%
Seeds	Quantity by variety	Below 2 cycles worth
Growing medium	Cubes or plugs remaining	Below 1 cycle worth
Cleaning supplies	Disinfectant, brushes, gloves	Running low
Replacement parts	Pump impellers, tubing, fittings	Stock critical items

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Part 4: Seasonal / Quarterly Tasks (Every 3 Months)

Set aside a full day for major maintenance.

Deep System Overhaul

Task	Details
Replace pump impellers	Wear item, replace preventatively
Replace air stones	Clogged stones reduce oxygen
Inspect and replace worn tubing	Cracks lead to leaks
Deep clean reservoir	Remove scale and mineral deposits
Test backup systems	Pumps, timers, generators

Environmental System Check

Task	Details
HVAC filter replacement	Dirty filters reduce efficiency
Check dehumidifier drain	Clogs cause flooding
Test all sensors	Replace any that are drifting
Review alarm settings	Ensure alerts are working

Review and Plan

Task	What to Review
Crop performance	Which varieties performed best?
Cost analysis	Electricity, nutrients, labor per harvest
Equipment upgrades	What would improve efficiency?
Staff training	Any new procedures to teach?
Next quarter goals	Yield targets, new crops to try

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Part 5: Printable Daily Checklist

Copy this table and post it in your grow room.

Daily Operations Checklist

Time	Task	Done
Start of light cycle
□	Lights turned on
□	Pumps circulating
□	Fans running
□	Temperature checked (target: __°C)
□	Humidity checked (target: __%)
Mid-day
□	Visual plant inspection
□	Water level checked
□	EC measured (target: __)
□	pH measured (target: __)
□	Leaks checked
End of light cycle
□	Lights turned off
□	Data logged
□	Work area cleaned
Any time
□	Pests spotted and treated
□	Dead leaves removed

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Part 6: Weekly Checklist (Printable)

Task	Day	Done
Change nutrient solution	_____	□
Clean reservoir	_____	□
Calibrate EC meter	_____	□
Calibrate pH meter	_____	□
Inspect pipes and fittings	_____	□
Clean pump intake	_____	□
Remove dead leaves	_____	□
Check root color	_____	□
Measure plant height	_____	□

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Part 7: Monthly Checklist (Printable)

Task	Done
Full system flush with cleaning solution	□
Disinfect grow channels	□
Clean LED light fixtures	□
Clean fans and filters	□
Calibrate all sensors	□
Record harvest yield	□
Record crop cycle time	□
Review nutrient usage	□
Review electricity usage	□
Check inventory levels	□

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Part 8: Emergency Response Checklist

When something goes wrong, follow this flow:

Problem: Pump Failure

Step	Action
1	Check power source (plug, breaker)
2	Check pump intake for blockage
3	Check impeller for damage
4	Swap with backup pump if available
5	Order replacement immediately

Problem: pH Crash or Spike

Step	Action
1	Re-calibrate pH meter
2	Test again with fresh sample
3	Add pH up or down slowly (wait 10 minutes between additions)
4	Test again
5	If unstable, change nutrient solution

Problem: Widespread Plant Wilting

Step	Action
1	Check pump is running
2	Check water level
3	Check root color (brown = root rot)
4	Check EC (too high = salt stress)
5	Check temperature (too high = heat stress)
6	Take photos, log data, consult expert

Problem: Pest Outbreak

Step	Action
1	Identify pest (aphids, spider mites, fungus gnats)
2	Isolate affected plants if possible
3	Apply appropriate treatment (neem oil, beneficial insects, sticky traps)
4	Increase monitoring frequency
5	Review sanitation procedures

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Summary: The 3 Golden Rules of Farm Operations

1. Never skip daily checks — 15 minutes of prevention saves hours of recovery
2. Log everything — Data helps you spot problems before they become crises
3. Keep backups — Extra pump, sensors, and nutrients keep you running when things fail

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Downloadable Resources

Printable checkboxes to download:

• Daily Checklist (PDF)
• Weekly Checklist (PDF)
• Monthly Checklist (PDF)
• Emergency Response Card (PDF)

(You can create these PDFs and link them here)

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Next Steps

• Read our Nutrient Management Guide for detailed EC/pH strategies
• Read our PPFD/DLI Complete Guide for light optimization
• Download the printable checklists above

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