Cannabis Fertilizers
For grow cannabis at home It is important to pay attention to the type of soil, irrigation and the choice of light sources, but we must not forget the importance of another element: the fertilizer. By adding nutrients to the soil, your marijuana plant will grow healthier and more robust. There are different types of fertilizers, both synthetic and natural, and many of them can be made at home.
First of all, a little chemistry: to grow better, cannabis needs, like other plants, some essential nutrients. These are nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus. We often find these three elements grouped together, with their scientific initials, in the acronym N.P.K.. If you intend to buy your fertilizer in the store, check that this is present.
Fertilizers that contain NPK are called mineral fertilizers: they are considered very good in terms of yield and simple to use, but they have the defect of making the buds more sour in taste.
Natural Fertilizers
To overcome the taste problem, some growers prefer the so-called organic or biological fertilizers, which are produced by exploiting the decomposition of organic plant or animal elements. These compounds do not interfere with the taste of the buds, being totally natural, but unlike NPK fertilizers they could give less certain and immediate results.
It is then possible to opt for a slightly more laborious but very economical solution: make cannabis fertilizers at home. Let's see what the best "do-it-yourself" fertilizers are:
Coffee grounds
This old trick, often used for balcony plants, is also perfect for those who grow cannabis. It involves adding coffee grounds to the soil every now and then. These contain a lot of nitrogen, which is slowly released into the soil and stimulates plant growth in a natural and ecological way. Coffee grounds are a waste element that is produced every day in most Italian homes.
Coconut water
This drink, so healthy for humans, is also healthy for cannabis. Coconut water is 96% H2o, but it contains a much higher amount of vitamins and minerals than tap water. The natural sugars and proteins help the plants that are bathed in this liquid to grow thriving and healthy.
Fermented plant juice (FPJ)
This method borrowed from Korean agriculture has proven to be excellent for growing marijuana. It involves selecting pieces of fruit or leaves of plants, crushing them in a mortar with plenty of brown sugar, fermenting them for a few weeks in a dark place and finally filtering the mixture. Many plants can be converted into FPJ, such as aloe vera, yarrow, nettle, and for fruit, sweet pepper, berries and apricots are good. To avoid losing essential bacteria, it is forbidden to wash the vegetables before processing them.
Compost
Compost is not included among the fertilizers as such, however it is an excellent starting point. Adding compost to the soil means working on the substrate and enriching it, providing the plant with an excellent nutritional base that reduces the need for fertilizers.Anyone who owns a composter at home or has built one themselves already has an excellent starting point.
Conclusions
Ultimately, fertilizing cannabis, like many other plants, can follow different approaches: we go from “industrial” compounds to more natural and even self-produced ones. Most successful growers have found, with experience, a personal mix between these possibilities, moving from mineral to organic at different stages of cultivation. For beginners, the advice is always to start by buying fertilizers, and then gradually experiment with homemade compounds.
