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Do you know that scene from the Harry Potter movies where they pull a Mandrake / Mandragora out of the ground, and a screaming monster is attached to the plant? Hydroponic cultivation can lead to enormous roots and the corresponding monstrous yields, but it requires the right plant nutrition for hydroculture.
Why Hydroponics?
Hydroponics, or growing in water, allows plants to grow faster and more efficiently than traditional soil cultivation. By using hydroculture, plants have direct access to all the necessary nutrients that are dissolved in the water. This results in faster growth and often higher yields. Furthermore, when growing in water, there is less risk of soil-related diseases and pests, and you can precisely regulate nutrients and pH levels. This leads to healthier cannabis plants and a more controlled environment. What you might not expect is that hydroculture is also a water-saving method, as water in the system can be reused.
Hydroponic Nutrition is Different
When growing cannabis in water, the approach to nutrition differs significantly from growing in soil. In hydroculture, the roots of your cannabis plants are in direct contact with the nutrient solution, allowing them to absorb essential nutrients more efficiently and quickly. This also means they should never dry out. Hydroponic nutrition is specially designed to provide a complete and balanced spectrum of minerals and nutrients that are directly water-soluble. This means nutrients are readily available to the plant, resulting in faster growth and sometimes higher yields. Additionally, in hydroponics, you need to closely monitor the pH and concentration of the nutrient solution (EC) to keep your cannabis plants healthy.
You can hardly make mistakes when hydroponically growing. On the other hand, when growing cannabis in soil, the soil acts as a buffer that stores nutrients and gradually releases them to the plant. Soil plant nutrition is generally less concentrated than hydroculture nutrition and is absorbed more slowly by the plant. Growing in soil requires less specific pH and EC values, but it also means that the plant's response to nutrients is slower. In this regard, hydroponic cultivation is very enjoyable and educational. You can see the effects of nutrient adjustments on the leaves within a few hours to a few days.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is better, hydroponics or soil? Hydroponics offers faster growth and more control over nutrients, while soil is more natural and requires less technical knowledge.
- Can any plant be grown hydroponically? Most cannabis plants can grow hydroponically with the right adjustments.
- What is hydroponic cultivation? Hydroponic cultivation involves growing plants in a water-rich environment with dissolved nutrients, without using soil.
- What are the benefits of hydroponics? Benefits include faster growth, higher yields, less water consumption, and better control over nutrients.
- What nutrition for hydroponics? Use a complete hydroponic nutrient that contains all essential macro and micronutrients.
- How long can a cannabis plant go without water? In hydroponics, a cannabis plant cannot go without water for even a moment. Short inspections are usually not a problem. Ensure that the roots are always moist.
- What can be used instead of hydroton (expanded clay pellets)? Alternatives include perlite, vermiculite, rockwool, or coconut coir.
- What is the best nutrition for cannabis plants? The best nutrition is specifically designed for cannabis and provides the right balance of NPK and essential micronutrients. All nutrition in this category is suitable for hydroponic cultivation.
- How much nutrition should I give my cannabis plant? Follow the recommendations on the nutrition packaging; this often varies depending on the growth stage and plant size.
- How do you give nutrition to plants? Dissolve the nutrition in water and provide it to the plants on a regular schedule tailored to their needs.
Learn More About Plant Nutrition for Cannabis Plants and Hydroponic Cultivation
Check out these blog articles where Dutch-Headshop delves deeper into nutrient solutions: