All nutrients needed for cannabis development are naturally present in the environment, however, if you want a faster and better-end product you’ll want to use concentrated fertiliser nutrients
Cannabis Nutrient Guide- Understanding Macro And Micro Nutrients
The 3 primary nutrients cannabis plants require in large quantities are Nitrogen, Potassium and Phosphorus.
These are the main nutrients and figures on top of cannabis fertilizer product labels. This is more commonly known as the product’s NPK ratio.
Cannabis, however, requires much more than 3 nutrients in order to thrive and produce healthy and delicious yields. It also requires other nutrients such as Calcium, Magnesium and Sulfur.
- Calcium is good for cell wall development, Reduces soil salinity,
- Magnesium plays a key role in photosynthesis
- Sulfur is necessary for the formation of chlorophyll and the production of proteins, amino acids, enzymes and vitamins, and protects plants against disease.
Beyond this, plants also make use of several other nutrients in small quantities (micronutrients) that are nevertheless extremely important. These include boron, chlorine, copper, iron, manganese, molybdenum, and zinc. While these aren’t the main nutrients plants use for food, they still play very important roles in various aspects of plant health.
Another important recommendation would be to keep an eye out for what type of fertilizer you buy as these vary greatly in the NPK ratio and in the chemical buildup of the fertilizer itself.
Typically, cannabis fertilisers will vary in the four following areas:
- Nutrient ratio: Different brands use different nutrient ratios they consider optimal.
- Ingredients: Different fertiliser brands can achieve the same nutrient ratios using completely different ingredients, ranging from the most chemical (or “artificial”) to the most natural.
- Soil or hydro: Soil nutrients are very different from hydro or soilless nutrient solutions. Make sure you only use fertilisers designed for your growing medium.
- Supplements: Many fertiliser brands also make “supplements”. These products typically contain low NPK ratios and instead feature other nutrients designed to boost certain aspects of growth. Some supplements, for example, are essentially molasses.
First thing you will want to focus on would be meeting the plant’s macro-nutrients before loading them up with nutrients.
Going overboard with nutrients can result in chemical interactions or nutrient burn, which can significantly impact the size and quality of your yield.
Once you’ve nailed feeding your plants with these core nutrients, feel free to move on to a more complex feeding schedule to produce bigger, more potent harvests.
Nutrients For Cannabis Seedlings
Seedlings normally do not require any sort of additional nutrients as it takes all the nutrients it needs from the seed itself and absorbs water as their root system develops, hence why it is always recommended to keep them in humid environments.
You will not need to start feeding your seedlings until they are in the 3rd / 4th week having developed 3/4 true leaves hence having moved on to the vegetative stage.
Nutrients For Vegetative Cannabis Plants
A popular option is to start your plants off on a light 2:1:2 fertiliserfor one week just when their seedlings start to enter their vegetative growth phase. This step can be a great way to introduce your plants to their fertiliser and avoid nutrient burn. However, some growers see great results immediately starting their plants on a 4:2:3 fertiliser to kickstart growth.
Roughly 6 weeks after germinating, you’ll want to aggressively increase your plants’ nutrients to help them develop strong, healthy foliage. Most growers opt for a 10:5:7 fertiliser by this stage.
These heightened levels of nitrogen will help your vegging plants produce luscious, green foliage and develop plenty of bud sites in time for flowering.
Towards the end of the vegetative phase, it’s a good idea to start lowering your nitrogen levels and preparing your plants for the switch to their bloom booster. Most growers use a 7:7:7 fertiliser in the last week of the vegetative phase.
Nutrients For Flowering Cannabis Plants
Flowering Cannabis Plants need much less Nitrogen and much more potassium in order to be able to produce beautiful resinous buds.
During the first two weeks of flowering, most growers feed their flowering plants with a 5:7:10 fertiliser. From here on out, it’s common practice to keep dialling up the nutrients on all fronts, always keeping potassium concentrations higher than the rest. By mid-flowering, most growers will be using a 6:10:15 nutrient solution.
How To Prepare Cannabis Nutrients
Feeding your cannabis plants is a very straightforward but important process, all you need to do is follow the below steps
- Prepare your water. If possible, heat your water to about 19 – 21 °C to increase absorption by the roots.
- Add your nutrients according to the instructions on your fertiliser, and stir. Use a PPM or EC meter to get exact readings.
- If necessary, adjust the pH of your feed using a nitric or phosphoric acid pH down supplement.
- Once your PPM, pH, and temperature are right, feed your plants and measure your runoff using your PPM or EC meter to ensure your plants are taking up their nutrients properly.
Product info
BioTabs use a fully proven and totally organic nutritional approach to feed and grow your cannabis plants. BioTabs are a Dutch company that use natural fertilisers and insect waste to provide your plants with fully balanced nutrition. One starter pack can feed 5-10 plants depending on your container size and contains the following:
Silicium Flash. An organic source of valuable Silicon which is used to build strong plant cells and support healthy growth.The Silicon can be rapidly absorbed from this additive and it increases plant resistance to heat, drought, pests and pathogens. As well as providing Silicon this additive has an NPK of 4:3:3 providing nutrition through growth and bloom
Startrex. Used by soil and coco growers, Startrex is a soil conditioner as well as an organic fertiliser. It has a high probiotic bacteria content, an NPK ratio of 3:1:2 and contains Silicon as well as Fulvic acid. Many potting soils are sterilised to kill weed seeds and germs. This also kills all the beneficial soil bacteria and fungi. By mixing your potting soil with Startrex your soil is instantly improved, allowing your plant to take root more quickly.
Mycotrex. This is an entirely organic soil conditioner. It uses a blend of 9 different Mycorrhiza spores as well as beneficial bacteria, seaweed meal and Humic Acid. This improves the absorption of water, minerals and nutrients through the roots allowing faster plant growth and superior plant health. Root volume can increase by 700% as a result.
BioTab Fertiliser Tablets.These slow-release organic tablets can be used by soil or coco growers. They contain a proven NPK ratio of 15:7:8 as well as beneficial bacteria and can be used for indoor or outdoor growing. Use one BioTab for 5 litres of soil. For containers of 25-50 litres you can use 5 tabs.
Bactrex. This additive is an organic soil fertility improver which contains important soil and root microbes which are beneficial to root health. Expect an abundant and healthy root network with this additive which helps convert organic matter into useful nutrients. For established plants water with a solution of 1 gram of Bactrex per litre of water once every two weeks. Bactrex is a living product, once dissolved in water the solution needs to be applied within 6 hours.
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