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Figuring out how to keep your cannabis plants thriving is sometimes a tricky balancing act. Maintaining the proper conditions, water, and nutrients is a standard performance for anyone growing cannabis seeds and clones. Many types of nutrients can help offset deficiencies in your plants–knowing how and when to use them is vital.
Aliens, apples, aardvarks, and all living things need water and nutrients to survive–so do cannabis plants! When you provide your weed plants with nutrients, it helps them reach their true potential.
Researchers report that improving soil health by increasing organic matter significantly impacts harvest yield [1]. However, nutrient deficiencies can often rear their ugly heads before you even notice. A telltale sign that something is up with your cannabis plant’s health is unhealthy-looking leaves. Discoloration, spotting, wrinkling, and other anomalies are your plant’s way of saying, “Hey, I could use some food over here, buddy!”.
If the pH levels of your soil mix or growing media aren’t within the proper range, chances are that you’re going to be dealing with nutrient deficiencies. Plants simply can’t absorb nutrients, or they also get locked out and become unavailable, if they’re even being added to the soil or water by the grower at all. Soil or hydro chambers can sometimes lean one way compared to the other–too acidic or too basic.
A pH balance of 6.0 – 6.5 is essential for cannabis plants grown in soil to thrive, while 5.5 – 6.5 is recommended for hydroponic grows. These pH levels have been proven to provide the most optimal final yields. [2]
Some grow media come complete with nutrient amendments that keep pH naturally regulated, while supplying the right nutrients to plant roots. The need to obsessively check pH and supply nutrients is eliminated with a properly calibrated super soil mix. Super soil is full of a balanced mix of organic matter right off the bat. It contains many nutrients that growers using a traditional potting soil mix or hydro grow would have to manually adjust regularly.
Living soil contains organic microbes in addition to fungi and nutrients. Microbes decompose organic matter while maintaining optimal nutrient balance. An entire ecosystem can thrive in living soil for everyone’s benefit–microorganisms, fungi, plants, and humanoids. Researchers have also noted that maintaining a healthier microbial environment also dramatically improves the final yield [1]. That’s not to say growers using either super soil or living soil won’t ever have to adjust pH–it does happen–but living and super soil set growers up to generally not need to. These methods are ideal for organic cannabis seed cultivation or for anyone aiming to grow high-THC cannabis plants without synthetic inputs
Before we get into how to counter nutrient deficiencies if you aren’t using living or super soil, let’s talk about the nutrients themselves. There are three different types of nutrients involved in keeping your cannabis plant happy and healthy, each one just as crucial as the other. Whether you’re growing medical marijuana strains or CBD-rich cannabis plants, all varieties depend on the same core nutrients to thrive
The letters N, P, and K are your best friends if you are a cannabis grower. Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P), and Potassium (K) are utilized in high demand for growth vigor and optimal development. The vegetative stage is especially in need of these macronutrients for those very reasons. In contrast, the flowering stage requires a cut-off of nitrogen to ensure all efforts go towards boosting flower growth first and foremost. [3]
Secondary nutrients are necessary for many photosynthetic functions, as well as enzyme activation, cell growth, nutrient absorption, and overall vigor. These include Calcium (Ca), Magnesium (Mg), and Sulfur (S). Secondary and primary macronutrients form the core pillars of development above any others. [3]
Cannabis plants don’t require specific micronutrients in such high demand as the other two types; however, these nutrients are critical for many growth functions. Micronutrients maintain vital processes like photosynthesis, metabolization of other nutrients, respiration, and optimal chlorophyll production. These compounds keep the engine that is your cannabis plant humming along behind the scenes. [4]
Balanced feeding is key whether you grow indoor cannabis strains, outdoor photoperiod plants, or start from cannabis seed bank genetics.
Take a look at a helpful table to guide and inform you more easily on each type of nutrient, the deficiencies they can fight, as well as their organic sources.
|
Nutrient |
Nutrient Type |
Deficiency Symptom It Counters |
Organic Sources & Compounds |
pH Influence & Balancing Notes |
|
Nitrogen (N) |
Macronutrient |
Yellow leaves, slow growth |
Blood meal, fish emulsion, composted manure, alfalfa meal |
Can somewhat acidify soil, lime can help buffer pH |
|
Phosphorus (P) |
Macronutrient |
Purple stems, stunted development, and root issues |
Bat guano, bone meal, worm castings, rock phosphate |
Too much lowers pH |
|
Potassium (K) |
Macronutrient |
Curled leaves, burnt leaf tips, poor stem development |
Wood ash, kelp meal, greensand, banana peels |
Can slightly raise pH, specifically wood ash |
|
Calcium (Ca) |
Secondary |
Poor stem development, curled leaves |
Dolomite lime, gypsum, crushed eggshells |
Raises pH, specifically dolomite lime |
|
Magnesium (Mg) |
Secondary |
Interveinal chlorosis (yellow between veins), poor photosynthesis |
Dolomite, lime, compost, epsom salt |
Epsom salt is pH neutral |
|
Sulfur (S) |
Secondary |
Yellow & stunted development |
Epsom salt, gypsum, compost, sulfur |
Sulfur lowers pH |
|
Iron (Fe) |
Micronutrient |
Yellow leaves, inefficient chlorophyll production |
Chelated iron, compost, fish emulsion |
Lowers pH or may be neutral |
|
Manganese (Mn) |
Micronutrient |
Yellow leaves, brown spotting |
Manganese sulfate, compost, kelp meal |
Slightly acidic |
|
Zinc (Zn) |
Micronutrient |
Poor node development, wrinkled leaves |
Zinc sulfate, compost, seaweed |
Slightly acidic, compost can buffer pH |
|
Copper (Cu) |
Micronutrient |
Darkened leaves, poor flower bud growth |
Copper sulfate, kelp meal, compost |
Slightly acidic |
|
Boron (B) |
Micronutrient |
Brittle stems and leaves |
Borax, kelp meal, compost |
Excessive use lowers pH |
These steps are especially helpful when growing premium cannabis genetics purchased from a trusted online seed bank.
The choice is up to you, my humanoid growmie, as to what media you want to grow weed in. Options like living and super soil are your best bet to avoid pH issues. Traditional soil potting mixes and hydroponic grows require regular monitoring to maintain a balanced environment for a successful harvest. But that’s not to say it’s impossible–millions of humanoids monitor pH and add the necessary nutrients to their weed plants daily. However, truly understanding which nutrients can do what, and when to adjust them, is the key!
Shop cannabis seeds for beginners or expert-level genetics to match your growing setup and feeding strategy. Contact us today.