A plant’s pH affects the absorption of nutrients from the soil. Whether growing cannabis in soil, coco, or hydroponics, pH needs to be maintained to optimal levels.
Nutrient deficiencies, burns, and lockouts are all common issues for growers who don’t maintain the proper acidity in their growing medium. By understanding what the different pH levels mean for your plants, you can avoid these issues and produce better crops.
Acidity
When growing cannabis, pH levels are a vital component of success. A pH level that is too acidic or too alkaline can affect the plant’s health, growth and yield.
If you have pH problems, there are a few things you can do to correct them. First, take a look at your diet and make sure you’re consuming plenty of healthy alkaline-forming foods such as citrus fruits and green leafy vegetables.
It’s also important to ensure you’re not eating too many sugary, processed and high-calorie foods. These can cause a buildup of acid in your body, which will negatively affect your overall health.
In addition to a poor diet, other factors that can contribute to a low pH include excessive alcohol and caffeine intake. Maintaining a balanced pH can help prevent these issues from happening and may even improve your health in the long run!
The pH of a solution is determined by the hydrogen ion concentration. The scale ranges from 1 to 14 with 7 being neutral. Acidity is measured logarithmically, which means that the number of acidic conditions rises as the scale trends downward, while basic or alkaline situations increase in number on the scale.
Alkalinity
Whether you’re growing cannabis outdoors or indoors, one of the key factors to consider is the pH level of your soil. This will determine how the plants absorb different nutrients, which is vital to achieving optimal results.
There are a few ways you can test your pH levels, and the most accurate way is to use a digital meter. These are easy to use, and come with electrode tips that you dip into the water and screens that show your reading in seconds.
The pH scale ranges from 0 to 14, with 7 being neutral. Anything below this is acidic (think vinegar or lemon juice), while anything above this is alkaline (think baking soda, ammonia, and bleach).
Soil with a pH of 6-7 will optimise mineral/nutrient absorption by the cannabis roots. You can boost this by adding limestone, oyster shells, or bone meal to the soil.
Nitrogen deficiency is another common problem that can affect cannabis. During the early stages of flowering, nitrogen deficiency can lead to yellowing and pale leaves, which are a sign that the plant is in need of a nitrogen flush.
Iron deficiencies can also cause new growth to turn yellow or pale, indicating the plant needs an iron supplement. Deficiencies of this essential element can be caused by an excess of magnesium, calcium, and potassium in the soil.
To remedy these problems, it’s important to add chelated iron and zinc fertilizers to the soil. In addition, a healthy balance of mycorrhizal bacteria can help the plant take up nutrients from the soil. This will improve the uptake of these nutrients and allow the plant to grow and produce a better yield.
Nitrogen
Nitrogen is a key macronutrient that cannabis plants need throughout their life cycle. This essential nutrient allows the plant to produce chlorophyll, proteins and amino acids.
The nitrogen level in your soil can greatly affect how well your plants grow. Soil that is rich in naturally decaying organic matter tends to be more acidic, while soil from dry, arid climates are more alkaline.
When growing cannabis, it is important to make sure the pH of your soil is properly adjusted to match the needs of the plant. Too much acidity can cause stress and stunted growth, while too little alkalinity can make your cannabis plants susceptible to nutrient deficiencies and other issues.
For example, when marijuana plants are in the vegetative phase, they require a lot of nitrogen to grow large and healthy leaves. This is why it is important to give your plants complete plant foods during this time.
During the flowering stage, however, it is important to avoid nitrogen and switch the balance of nutrients in favour of phosphorous and potassium. This helps the plant to produce large buds and allow flowers to increase in size.
This can be achieved by adjusting the NPK values for each stage of the cannabis production process. Ideally, the NPK balance should be 1:3:3 in early flowering and 0:3:3 in late flowering.
It is also a good idea to consume more alkaline-forming foods. These include green vegetables like kale, beet greens and spinach. Non-starchy vegetables such as mushrooms, tomatoes, cucumber and radishes are also good sources of alkalinity.
If you notice that your plants are experiencing symptoms of nitrogen toxicity, you should flush them with PH-adjusted water to return their nitrogen levels to a safer level. If you do this and the toxicity goes away, you should continue to check the pH of your water to ensure that it is at a safe level for your plants.
Phosphorous
Cannabis is a plant that needs many nutrients to thrive. Phosphorus is one of the most important of them all, helping it to maintain normal bud formation and photosynthesis during the flowering phase.
This essential element is found in the soil and replenished through natural processes. This process is called the phosphorus cycle, and it involves plant and animal uptake of this nutrient, followed by it being processed by microbes.
While most commercial fertilizers for cannabis contain more than sufficient amounts of phosphorus, phosphorus deficiencies or toxicities can occur due to pH issues, poor soil quality, improper nutrient formulations and other environmental factors.
Growers can test their water for phosphorus using a pH meter or pen and adjust the pH before they feed their plants. They can also add a phosphate stabilizer to their nutrient solution to help maintain an ideal pH.
When a cannabis plant begins to show signs of a phosphorus deficiency, they will likely have reddish or violet spots in their leaves. These spots may spread to the tops of the plant’s leaves and to its buds, and they are most noticeable during the flowering stage.
These symptoms will often start to appear before a deficiency becomes widespread and leads to shriveled buds and other problems. Symptoms can also include slower growth and smaller leaves, and they are best detected in time to correct the problem before the phosphorus deficiency affects the entire plant.
Despite the dangers of a phosphorus deficiency, it is still an essential nutrient for cannabis. Having it in abundance during the vegetative and flowering stages ensures optimal plant health and maximizes yield.
Potash
When it comes to cannabis growth, pH is one of the most important factors that need to be considered. It plays an essential role in nutrient uptake and plant metabolism. This means that it is vital to ensure that your soil, nutrient solution, and water are all in the right pH range.
The optimum pH levels vary based on the stage of cannabis growth. This includes seedling, vegetative, and flowering. The different stages require different levels of nutrients to promote strong, healthy plants.
In the early stages of plant growth, phosphorus is required to assist with photosynthesis and nutrient uptake. It also facilitates bud formation and helps the cannabis plant resist stress.
Phosphorus deficiency is particularly problematic during the flowering stage. Its deficiency will cause weakened growth and poor buds production.
This is why it is recommended to keep the pH of your cannabis grow medium in the ideal 5.8 – 6.3 range at all times. This will prevent the plant from becoming deprived of key nutrients and keep it strong throughout all of its phases.
It is also important to note that the soil’s pH value is measured logarithmically, which means that even small changes can have a big impact. This is why it is crucial to check the pH regularly in order to keep it balanced and in the optimal range for your specific strain.
Potassium is another crucial nutrient that must be in the correct pH range for the plant to be able to use it effectively. It helps with the synthesis of amino acids and proteins, facilitates photosynthesis, and maintains plant health during periods of drought.
