In the world of cannabis cultivation, there’s a lot to know about nutrients. Which marijuana nutrients are the best? The answer is complex, so let’s get started.
Cannabis Nutrient Basics
If you follow these basics and nothing else, you’ll grow a great cannabis plant:
- Buy a multi-stage nutrient kit for growing cannabis
- Follow the instructions
And that’s it. Seriously, when it comes to marijuana nutrients, it can be easy to stop seeing the forest for the trees. Everyone wants to play scientist here, and the results aren’t always great for your marijuana plants. Nutrient burn is bad for growth and can leave a funky taste in your buds.
Of course, there’s a LOT to know about the best nutrients for cannabis. If you find that reading about nutrients is lighting up parts of your brain, you might get the most enjoyment out of a hydroponic grow setup. We’ll explain why later. For now, let’s dive into the best nutrients for best cannabis nutrients cultivation.
What is the NPK Ratio?
When it comes to the elements you’ll find in fertilizer, there are three main players: Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P), and Potassium (K). These are the essential nutrients responsible for all plant’s healthy growth.
When it comes to fertilizers, The NPK ratio is the percentage of each of these nutrients in the liquid or package of fertilizer. For example, this bottle of General Hydroponics FloraBloom 0-5-4 is 0% Nitrogen, 5% Phosphorus, and 4% Potassium.
What does NPK do?
Nitrogen is the main player vegetative stage of cannabis growth. Nitrogen is an essential component of chlorophyll. So without it, a plant cannot photosynthesize and it won’t be able to grow. It also helps form amino acids. These go on to form proteins in a plant.
Cannabis plants use Phosphorus for energy storage, root development, and flower formation. Plants use Phosphorus as part of key metabolic processes like growing roots and flowers.
Potassium contributes to growth and stress resilience. It enables nutrients, water, and carbohydrates to move throughout cannabis plant tissue. It helps to use the proteins delivered by nitrogen.