All plants need nutrients to survive, and even though cannabis is a resilient plant and can subsist on very little, it’s still a good idea to them into the mix. In Jamaica, the only fertilizer that they use is what’s already in the soil, and their plants are amazing — great flavors and super strong. In other regions, however, nutrients are more important.
The main nutrients your plants need are N.P.K.: nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. The nitrogen is what makes your plants grow, it also ensures your plants’ leaves are nice and green. Nitrogen is a part of the chlorophyll molecule and is involved in the process of photosynthesis. The next nutrient is phosphorous, which is the chemical responsible for metabolic changes in the plant. This means growth, flower development, and root development. The best way to infuse your plants with more phosphorous is by adding bone meal to your soil mixture. The last of the main elements is potassium, which is responsible for regulating the metabolism of the plant and helps with the flow of nutrients though the regulation of water pressure. Potassium is also one of the most absorbed minerals by a plant second only to nitrogen.
There are also secondary nutrients that are helpful to the plant: calcium, magnesium and sulfur. These nutrients are often found in pre-made soil mixes, but if you are growing in a soilless medium, then special attention needs to be paid to these nutrients as well.
The kushes and sativa-dominant plants often show a deficiency in the calcium and magnesium. If using a soil mix with lots of lime, then you should not have a magnesium or calcium deficiency. Make sure the nutrient line you are using is sufficiently balanced when it comes to all the nutrients present. Most companies label all of their ingredients making it handy to pick the right nutrients for your garden.
Finally, there are the micronutrients, which are usually they are present in soil mixes, but if you are not using soil then please make sure to add: boron, copper, iron, chloride, manganese, molybdenum and zinc.
Sulfur, as well as most of the micro nutrients, are present in decomposing leaves and stems, which is why they make excellent additions to your compost.
