Giving sufficient nutrients for your marijuana crops is a priority. There are a lot of things that you must be aware of in terms of giving your plants the required nutrients. This task may be daunting especially if you are a first-time grower. Hydroponic nutrients for weed are most commonly used by a lot of cultivators. There are instances that you may spend more to these nutrients than what it is intended, that’s why a basic knowledge is very important.
There are a lot of choices when it comes to nutrients for your crops. From hydroponic nutrients to organic ones, all of these have different benefits which are essential for your plants. These things may become overwhelming for new growers but tips and techniques can be utilized to have successful yields. As long as you dedicate time to get enough knowledge on all the requirements needed for your plants, everything must go smoothly. Knowing the required nutrients for your cannabis is the most important part of selecting the products that you will use without having to spend too much.
What Elements Can be Beneficial for your Marijuana Plants?
Just like any plants, your marijuana plants need to be sustained with elements which are also called as macronutrients. Here are some of the mineral and non-mineral elements that you must prioritize to give your plants:
Mineral nutrients that come from the soil:
- Phosphorus
- Calcium
- Nitrogen
- Potassium
- Sulfur
- Magnesium
Non-mineral elements that come from water and air:
- Hydrogen
- Carbon
- Oxygen
Hydroponic (Soilless) Marijuana Nutrients
Hydroponic growing is the practice of cultivators where they grow plants without the use of soil. Rather, they use substrates such as clay pebbles, coco coir, Rockwool, or some mix. A lot of premium “potting soils” is marketed with these soilless blends. Growers who grow their cannabis indoors usually grow hydroponically, even when they use the “potting soil” method. Because of this, wide ranges of nutrients that are sold for the cultivation of cannabis are mostly hydroponic nutrients. These nutrients are sometimes compromised because of the concentrated mineral salts, which is usually in the liquid form. It can also come in powder form but these must be diluted in water first so it can match what is suitable for your plant.
Knowing the good and bad about hydroponic nutrients
If you are a first-time grower, you must know the basics when it comes to hydroponic nutrients. It is important to take note that there are hydroponic nutrients which are better for your cannabis. There are also hydroponic nutrients that must be avoided. Let us dig deeper on some of the best and not so good hydroponic nutrients for your cannabis.
Best Hydroponic Nutrients
- No organic matter. All the nutrients come from minerals
- Made specialized for hydroponics
- Contains a lot of micronutrients to make up the nutrients that supposed to be coming from the soil
- Has appropriate NPK ratios
Worst Hydroponic Nutrients
- Made specialized for soil
- Contains too much organic matter such as worm castings, guano, blood meal, fish emulsion, etc.
All of these things can mess up your overall reservoir and can have unwanted and unexpected root and bacteria problems. If it becomes cloudy and you notice that there are many materials that are floating in the water, never sort out in hydro.
Soil vs. Hydroponic Nutrients
When you choose to go hydroponically in growing your cannabis, you have to make sure that you choose the nutrients that are specifically for hydroponics and not for soil. Soil fertilizers have a lot of organic solids which may clog the watering systems used for hydroponic. Microbes found in soil can help organic materials like worm casting, guano, etc to be converted to usable nutrients for your crops. However, when you go hydroponically, it is important to give your plants micro and macronutrients directly. Nutrients coming from the soil may contain lower levels of nitrogen, higher levels of phosphorous, and purely organic materials rather than chelated ones.
Optimum NPK Ratios for your Hydroponic Marijuana Nutrients
NPK means Nitrogen-Phosphorus-Potassium. These three are the most important nutrients that plants need in order to survive and grow well.
If you are growing hydroponically, it is important to give the ideal and right ratio of these nutrients so that your plant can have what it needs. For example, if you provide a lot of nitrogen during the flowering stage, it can suppress the bud production of your plant, resulting to fewer yields even if it happens that your plants are completely healthy.
Below are some of the elements that your hydroponic nutrients should have:
- Calcium
- Magnesium
- Iron
- Sulfur
Below are the micronutrients that are not necessary but nice to have:
- Cobalt
- Boron
- Zinc
- Molybdenum
- Manganese
- Copper
Chemical vs. Organic Nutrients
A lot of growers are curious about the difference between chemical and organic nutrients. These two can be beneficial for your plants in different ways.
Organic Nutrients
- Better taste and smell to buds
A lot of growers believe that organic materials can give better fragrance and the smoothest buds. Your plants may have better taste and smell if you use composted soil which is amended with nutrients coming from natural sources. This serves as a living soil with lots of beneficial microorganisms and can give bolder smell and taste for your buds.
- More Natural
When you grow in living soil, your roots can live better because you can give your plants everything that they need.
- Not for Hydro
Organic nutrients are not for hydroponic systems since organic matters may cause unwanted things when you grow in a reservoir.
Chemical Nutrients
- Increased potency
Organic nutrients may increase the taste and smell of your buds, but chemical nutrients increase the potency of your buds.
- Faster growth
Chemical nutrients are good for your crops and these can be easily absorbed by your plants, thus allowing for faster growth.
- Only Choice for Hydro
These nutrients are best choices for your cannabis when you sort to hydroponic systems. These hydroponic nutrients for weed can have a big advantage on the overall growth of your cannabis. Chemical nutrients can also be a good choice for coco or soil since they can provide an increase in potency and can give faster growth.
