February 13, 2023 0 Comments
A cannabis grow tent is an indoor growing structure designed to create the optimal environment for growing marijuana. It is a self-contained space that allows growers to have complete control over the growing conditions, such as temperature, humidity, and light. This control is essential for producing high-quality cannabis plants.
The tent is made of a durable and reflective material, typically Mylar, that is designed to maximize the use of light for the plants. It has a sturdy frame made of metal or plastic that can be assembled quickly and easily, and it is also equipped with various vents for air exchange, as well as ports for electrical and water connections. The tent is also light-proof, ensuring that light is contained within the tent and does not escape, which can affect the growth of the plants.
One of the key benefits of using a cannabis grow tent is the ability to create ideal growing conditions. Growers can regulate the temperature and humidity levels, which is critical for the health of the plants. They can also choose the right spectrum of light, including the intensity, duration, and timing of light exposure, to help the plants grow and thrive. Additionally, the tent helps to minimize the risk of pests and diseases, as it can be sealed off from the outside environment, which keeps out unwanted visitors.
Another benefit of using a grow tent is the ability to manage and conserve resources, such as water and electricity. The tent is designed to allow for efficient use of resources, and growers can monitor and control the use of these resources to minimize waste and maximize yields. Furthermore, the tent can be equipped with a hydroponic growing system, which allows for precise control over water and nutrient delivery, leading to healthier plants and higher yields.
The use of a grow tent can enhance the quality and consistency of the final product. By controlling the growing conditions, growers can ensure that their plants receive the right amount of light, water, and nutrients, leading to stronger and healthier plants. This can result in a more potent and flavorful final product, which is highly valued by consumers.
Another benefit of using a grow tent is the ability to maintain privacy and confidentiality. The tent can be set up in a secure location, making it difficult for others to see what is happening inside. This is important for growers who are concerned about the legality of growing marijuana or who want to keep their growing operations confidential.
Additionally, the cost of maintaining a grow tent is relatively low compared to the cost of maintaining an outdoor garden. Grow tents are designed to be self-contained, which means that they don't require as much maintenance as outdoor gardens. This can result in a lower overall cost for the gardener over time.
It is also worth mentioning that a cannabis grow tent provides convenience and flexibility for growers. As the grow environment is self-contained, growers can easily move the tent from one location to another, making it an ideal solution for those who need to change their growing space frequently. Additionally, the tent can be easily disassembled and stored when not in use, freeing up valuable space.
Growers allow for easy and efficient space utilization, as growers can create a grow space in a small room or closet, rather than having to dedicate an entire room or basement to growing. This is especially useful for growers who live in urban areas with limited space.
In addition to the benefits for growers, using a cannabis grow tent also has environmental benefits. By controlling the growing environment, growers can minimize their impact on the environment by reducing the use of pesticides and chemicals, conserving water and energy, and reducing waste. This helps to promote sustainable and eco-friendly growing practices, which are becoming increasingly important as the world becomes more aware of the need to protect the environment.
The use of a cannabis grow tent can also promote safety and security. By providing a controlled environment, growers can reduce the risk of accidents and mishaps, such as fires or spills, that can be dangerous and damaging. Additionally, by controlling the growing environment, growers can ensure that their plants are free from contaminants and that the final product is safe for consumption.
In conclusion, the benefits of using a cannabis grow tent are numerous and diverse. Whether you are a professional grower or just starting out, a grow tent provides a convenient, cost-effective, and efficient solution for growing high-quality marijuana. With its ability to control the growing environment, minimize waste, and enhance the quality of the final product, a grow tent is a must-have tool for any serious cannabis grower.
The size of a grow tent you need for 4 plants depends on several factors, including the size of the plants, the growth stage, and the type of growing setup you choose. Here's a breakdown of the different options to consider:
During the seedling stage, plants are small and do not require much room to grow. A 2' x 2' or 2' x 4' grow tent should suffice for 4 seedling plants.
Vegetative Stage
During the vegetative stage, plants grow rapidly and require more room for their roots to spread out. A 4' x 4' grow tent is a good size for 4 plants during this stage.
Flowering Stage
During the flowering stage, plants grow even more and may need more room for the buds to develop properly. A 5' x 5' or 6' x 6' grow tent is a good size for 4 plants during this stage.
Other Factors to Consider When Choosing a Grow Tent
The Height of the Grow Tent
It's also important to note that the height of the grow tent is another factor to consider. A taller grow tent will provide more room for your plants to grow vertically but also takes up more floor space.
The size of grow tent you choose will depend on your individual growing needs and setup. Consider the size and growth stage of your plants, as well as your desired yields, when selecting the right size grow tent.
The type of growing setup you choose can also affect the size of the grow tent you need. For example, if you choose a hydroponic setup, you may need a larger grow tent to accommodate the equipment and water tanks. On the other hand, if you choose a soil-based setup, you may be able to get by with a smaller tent.
Lights You Plan to Use
Lighting is also crucial to plant growth and should be a key consideration when choosing a grow tent. You'll need to determine the amount of light your plants need based on their growth stage and species, as well as the type of lights you plan to use. You may need to install reflective material on the walls and roof of the tent to maximize the use of light and improve the growing conditions inside.
It's also important to consider the number of lights you plan to use. The more lights you have, the more heat they will generate and the larger the grow tent should be to accommodate the increased temperature. If you're using high-intensity lights, such as HID or LED grow lights, you may need to install ventilation and air-cooling systems to regulate the temperature inside the grow tent.
Temperature and Humidity Control
Additionally, it's important to create a conducive environment inside the grow tent to promote healthy plant growth. Proper temperature and humidity control are essential, as well as adequate air circulation. Plants need fresh air to thrive and you should aim to replace the air inside the tent at least once every hour. You can achieve this by installing an air exchange system, which can be as simple as an exhaust fan and an intake vent.
It's important to invest in a quality grow tent. Look for a tent made from heavy-duty materials that can withstand wear and tear, as well as provide proper insulation to regulate temperature and light. A tent with sturdy poles and corners, as well as waterproof floors and easy-access doors, will provide a durable and functional growing environment for your plants.
Finally, you should also consider the amount of space you have available. A larger grow tent will provide more room for your plants to grow, but it will also take up more floor space. Make sure you have enough room to comfortably fit the grow tent you choose, as well as access to electrical outlets and plumbing if necessary.
In conclusion, the size of a grow tent you need for 4 plants will depend on a variety of factors, including the size and growth stage of the plants, the type of growing setup you choose, the number of lights you plan to use, and the amount of space you have available. Consider all of these factors when selecting the right size grow tent for your plants.
In this short article, whether you are a beginner or a professional grower, we will cover five key points that you should always keep in mind for a good cannabis harvest.
Cannabis plants need a certain amount of light to grow properly, and without it, your yield will drop. Consider using high-quality LED grow lights designed specifically for cannabis cultivation. While LED lights provide the necessary light spectrum for the cannabis plant, they consume less energy and generate less heat.
Cannabis plants require a certain balance of nutrients to thrive, and it is important to provide them with the right mix of nutrients throughout their growth cycle. Using high-quality nutrients and following a feeding schedule that suits your plants' needs can help you maximize your yield.
Pruning your cannabis plant can help them produce more flowers and increase your yield. It is important to remove dead or dying leaves as well as leaves that block light from reaching the lower parts of the plant. This will help ensure that the plant directs its energy to the flower-producing parts.
Cannabis plants require a certain temperature and humidity range to grow properly. Make sure you keep your growing area within the optimal range for your species and use fans and dehumidifiers to control humidity levels.
Harvesting your cannabis plants at the right time can significantly affect your yield. Wait for most of the trichomes (resin glands containing THC and other cannabinoids) in your buds to turn cloudy or amber before harvesting. This will ensure your buds are at their strongest and maximize your yield.
February 10, 2023 0 Comments
Cannabis is a versatile plant that has been utilized for various purposes throughout human history. It is most commonly known for its use as a recreational drug, but it is also used for medicinal purposes and as a source of fiber and oil. To ensure optimal growth and yield, it is important to provide the plant with the proper nutrients.
Cannabis, like any other plant, requires a balanced diet of macronutrients and micronutrients to thrive. Macronutrients include nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K), and these are required in the largest quantities. Nitrogen is essential for the growth of foliage and stems, phosphorus is important for root growth and flower development, and potassium is important for overall plant health and stress resistance.
Micronutrients, which are needed in smaller quantities, include iron, magnesium, sulfur, and others. These micronutrients play important roles in processes such as chlorophyll synthesis and energy transfer. A deficiency in any of these micronutrients can cause stunted growth or yellowing of the leaves, among other symptoms.
There are several options for providing cannabis plants with the necessary nutrients. One option is to use soil that has been enriched with organic matter and fertilizers. Another option is to use hydroponic systems, where the plants are grown in a nutrient-rich solution instead of soil. Both methods can be effective, but hydroponic systems offer greater control over the nutrient levels and allow for faster growth and larger yields.
It is important to note that not all fertilizers are created equal, and some may be more suitable for cannabis cultivation than others. Organic fertilizers, such as compost and worm castings, are a good option as they release nutrients slowly and steadily, reducing the risk of nutrient burn or toxicity. Synthetic fertilizers, on the other hand, can provide a more immediate boost to the plant but may also result in nutrient imbalances if not used properly.
In addition to the essential nutrients, pH levels play a crucial role in the health and growth of cannabis plants. The optimal pH level for cannabis cultivation varies depending on the growing method (soil or hydroponic) and the stage of growth but typically ranges from 6.0 to 7.0 for soil-grown plants and 5.5 to 6.5 for hydroponic systems. pH levels outside of this range can lead to nutrient deficiencies or toxicities, as certain nutrients become less available or even toxic to the plant.
It is also important to consider the amount and frequency of fertilization. Overfertilization can lead to nutrient burn and damage to the plant, while under-fertilization can result in stunted growth and reduced yields. A general guideline is to fertilize the plants once a week, using a fertilizer that provides a balanced ratio of N-P-K and other micronutrients. During the flowering stage, the ratio of phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) should be increased, as these nutrients are critical for flower development.
Other additives, such as silica and beneficial bacteria and fungi, can also be added to the growing environment to improve plant health and stress resistance. Silica, for example, helps to strengthen the cell walls of the plant, making it more resistant to damage and disease. Beneficial bacteria and fungi, on the other hand, can improve soil fertility and plant health by breaking down organic matter and releasing nutrients that are available to the plant.
Another common additive is molasses, which is added to the water used for hydroponic systems. Molasses provides the plant with additional carbohydrates, which are used as energy and can also stimulate microbial activity in the root zone, promoting healthy root growth.
Another factor to consider is the stage of growth, as the nutrient requirements of the cannabis plant change throughout its lifecycle. During the vegetative stage, the plant requires high levels of nitrogen to support foliage growth, while during the flowering stage, higher levels of phosphorus and potassium are required. Understanding the nutrient requirements of the plant at each stage and adjusting the fertilization accordingly is essential for successful cultivation.
Finally, it is important to monitor the health of the plants and address any deficiencies or imbalances as soon as they are detected. The appearance of the leaves and the overall growth of the plant can be indicative of nutrient deficiencies or toxicities. By paying attention to these signs and adjusting the nutrient regimen as needed, growers can ensure the health and success of their cannabis plants.
In conclusion, providing the cannabis plant with the proper nutrients is crucial for optimal growth and yield. A balanced diet of macronutrients and micronutrients is necessary for the plant to thrive, and there are several options for providing these nutrients, including soil-based and hydroponic systems. Choosing the right fertilizer, whether synthetic or organic, is important for avoiding nutrient imbalances and ensuring healthy plant growth.
February 06, 2023 0 Comments
Nutrient burn, also known as "nute burn," is a common problem when growing cannabis. When cannabis plants receive too much fertilizer, they can't absorb all of the nutrients they need, and the excess can build up in the leaves and cause the leaves to turn yellow or brown and become crispy. This is especially true for young plants, which are more sensitive to over-fertilization.
The most common cause of the nutrient burn is the overuse of nitrogen, which is an essential nutrient for plant growth. Cannabis plants need nitrogen during the vegetative stage to promote healthy growth and development, but too much nitrogen can cause the leaves to become yellow and damaged. Other nutrients that can cause nutrient burn include phosphorus and potassium.
Symptoms of Nutrient Burn in Cannabis Plants
Symptoms of nutrient burn can include yellow or brown tips on leaves, leaf curling, and wilting. In severe cases, the leaves may die and fall off. To prevent a nutrient burn, it is important to carefully monitor the levels of nutrients in the soil or hydroponic solution and to follow the recommended dosages for the specific strains of cannabis being grown.
In case of a nutrient burn, the best solution is to flush the soil or hydroponic solution with plain water to remove any excess nutrients. This can help to reduce the symptoms of nutrient burn and allow the plants to recover. If the nutrient burn is severe, it may be necessary to wait until the next growing cycle to start again.
Overall, nutrient burn is a common problem that can be easily prevented by carefully monitoring the levels of nutrients in the soil or hydroponic solution and adjusting the dosage as needed. By following these guidelines, growers can ensure that their cannabis plants receive the proper nutrition for healthy growth and development.
Nutrient burn is a common problem that can occur when growing cannabis, caused by over-fertilization, using the wrong type of fertilizer.
Follow the recommended nutrient dosage: Overfeeding your plants can cause nutrient burn, so it's important to follow the recommended dosage for your specific nutrient brand and the growth stage of your plants.
Monitor pH levels: Nutrient uptake can be affected by pH levels, so it's important to monitor the pH of your soil or hydroponic solution regularly. The ideal pH range for cannabis is between 6.0 and 7.0.
Water properly: Overwatering can also contribute to nutrient burn, so it's important to water your plants appropriately. Water your plants when the top inch of soil is dry, and avoid letting your plants sit in standing water.
Check for signs of nutrient burn: Keep an eye out for symptoms of nutrient burn, such as yellow or brown tips on leaves, stunted growth, or leaf curling. If you notice these symptoms, adjust your nutrient dosage or flush your plants with pH-balanced water.
Use high-quality nutrients: Investing in high-quality nutrients can help prevent nutrient burn and ensure your plants receive the right balance of nutrients.
By following these tips, you can prevent nutrient burn in your cannabis plants and promote healthy growth and yield.
February 05, 2023 0 Comments
Does a bigger cannabis harvest mean larger blooms or denser buds? Why choose? When you have high-quality you can have both. Ready to supersize your cannabis colas? Read on.
For anyone totally new to growing we have to let you know it’s not a soft drink. The cola is the flowering top of the female cannabis plant. Also called buds, nugs, or flowers, colas contain the highest concentration of trichomes, which produce THC, CBD, and other cannabinoids and terpenes. In other words? It’s the part of the plant we harvest, process, and use to ease our minds, bodies, and spirits. The more you have, the more useable weed you have, so you want as many as possible, as big as possible, and as thick as possible!
There are a few factors.
Strain Choice
Naturally, some strains grow thicker than others. Sour Diesel and Amnesia Haze spring to mind. So selecting your clones and seeds for bushier breeds is step one, but it’s the only one with factors you can’t control yourself! The rest of these steps are all you!
Targeted Lighting
Outdoor growers, look away–the sun is already doing its level best. Indoor-warriors? Let’s talk.
White light = wasted photons. Point blank. Cannabis needs a targeted spectrum to grow to its best abilities, and flipping a grow light from a veg spectrum to a flower spectrum is just as important as adjusting the lighting schedule. The best blooms mean bigger, tighter, and bonus–higher in trichome concentration, so give them their best start with a better breed of grow light.
Proper feeding
This is where we come in. Just like any other living thing, cannabis needs the right combination of macronutrients and micronutrients to thrive, and we provide the right ones at a concentrated rate. No watering down means no paying for what already comes out of your tap.
The only catch? Too much fertilizer can burn your plants and prevent them from taking up the nutrients they need. Make sure to follow the nutrient instructions, or just give our NorCal team a call for an assist (or just to say hi).
Grow Training
Your cannabis can’t sit up and bark, but you can get your girls to grow in more productive ways with a little help.
Try training your plants with techniques like topping, bending, and trellising. These techniques let your plant grow horizontally, which increases the amount of light getting to each leaf, which in turn, lets your plant eat even more, and use that energy to feed you back. Bonus, this also increases number of flowering sites and ultimately leads to a bigger quantity of buds!
Follow these tips and you’ll be on your way to growing crazy huge colas in no time. Happy growing!
February 03, 2023 0 Comments
Have you noticed those three numbers at the top of fertilizers before? Hopefully yes, they’re important! Those numbers indicate the NPK. Adding nutrients to cannabis shouldn’t be a mystery, so if you’re wondering about the numbers you need to see on nutrients for your grow, read on!
NPK stands for nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. The name uses the letters on the Periodic Table to form the acronym, hence why it's not NPP. These are three of the macro nutrients that your cannabis will need in the highest quantities (compared to other macros and micros) in order to grow healthy and produce big buds.
The numbers read as percent by weight of fertilizer. We pulled up a handy breakdown of the math involved, but if, for example, you see a 40lb bag of fertilizer that reads 30-15-15, that means 30% ie, 12lbs is nitrogen, 15% ie, 6 lbs is phosphorus, and 15% ie 6 lbs is potassium.
You might be thinking "Why not just go for the highest numbers possible? Won’t my cannabis grow even more nutrients that way? Isn't that the biggest bang for my buck?"
Short answer? No! It's an understandable misconception, but no. Cannabis can be overloved like any other plant, and giving your cannabis too much of anything can actually be harmful to their health. In the case of nutrients, you'll end up with 'Nute burn'-- damaged plant tissues from overdosing.
It depends on the stage of growth!
For lush, bushy foliage in the vegetative stage, we recommend a potassium heavy 8-4-13.
For big, dense, sticky buds in the flowering stage, more phosphorus and less nitrogen is needed in a 5-10-14 formula.
NPK is just one part of a healthy cannabis grow, however. Your plants will also need other nutrients like calcium, magnesium, and sulfur.
The best way to make sure your plants are getting everything they need is to use a high-quality fertilizer that is designed specifically for cannabis. This will give them the perfect NPK ratio, as well as all the other nutrients they need to grow healthy and produce big buds.
Looking for a timetable of nutrients? You're in luck. Check out our ideal feeding schedule here and get your leafy ladies the nourishment they need!
January 31, 2023 0 Comments
Tired of weak harvests? We sure were. No matter how much you love your ladies, increasing your cannabis yields is tantamount to getting the most out of your weed-work. But even though we don’t think you can ever have too many plants, you CAN grow smarter and bigger and better from just one plant!
There are a few key things you need to remember: proper nutrition, good lighting, optimal environment, and controlling pests and diseases. Let’s take a closer look at each of these factors.
Can anything grow when it’s not well-fed? Just like people, plants need the right balance of nutrients to grow big and strong. Proper nutrition is one of the most important factors in increasing your cannabis yield.
You'll need the right nutrients for each stage of your cannabis' growth, and the right amounts with a good feeding schedule. When it comes to adding nutrients to your plants, more is not always better. In fact, over-fertilizing your plants can lead to nutrient burn, which can stunt growth and reduce yields.
Find a balance between what your plants need and how much, and your harvests will increase!
Remember learning about photosynthesis in grade school? For plants, Light = Food. Good lighting is obviously another important factor in increasing cannabis yields, therefore great lighting gets you even more of what you need! Cannabis plants need a lot of light to grow well–so find a light with the highest PPFP (ie amount of useable light) that you can.
In addition to amount of light, the type of light you need will depend on the stage of growth your plant is in. For example, during the vegetative stage, your plants will need more blue light, while during the flowering stage they will need more red light. Find a grow light that can flip between the two to help your yields multiply.
Believe it or not, we've progressed past the point of growing in a random closet. Your grow needs room to stretch out, proper ventilation, and a lightfast seal! Look into high quality grow cabinets and grow rooms to ramp up your yields, and give your grow a little privacy as it matures!
Cannabis grows quickly compared to many other plants! But every bite from a sap sucking bug, or inch given to fungal growth, is a loss to your plants' health and your harvest. Controlling pests and diseases is essential for getting big cannabis yields. Spider mites and aphids can wreak havoc on your plants, and diseases like powdery mildew can quickly destroy a crop. The best way to control pests and diseases is to prevent them from getting into your grow room in the first place. This means keeping your grow room clean and tidy, sanitizing your tools between uses, washing your hands, and using things like screens and filters on your ventilation system.
Is this all a lot? Yes! But when you have all the weed you can use, you'll see the worth in it easily.
By following these tips, you can increase your cannabis yields and get the most out of your plants! Bigger buds are just around the corner.
January 29, 2023 0 Comments
When you hear ‘flushing marijuana’, be honest…do you think of getting rid of contraband?
As more states and countries relax their cannabis prohibition laws (and, we expect, in general), that definition is becoming a thing of the past! But legitimate flushing of cannabis is a grower tactic that deserves discussion.
Flushing is a growing strategy that involves completely stopping nutrient feeding two weeks to a month before harvesting, thereby encouraging the plant to use only what nourishment it has already taken in to reach the finish line. The idea here is that nutrients naturally stored in the plant will be fully metabolized, and that more of the plant’s natural components by cellular volume will end up in the end product.
Sometimes additives like lemon juice or Carboflush can be added to water to neutralize nutritious salts in the soil–making sure that the plants don’t continue to absorb what’s already soaked in.
Proponents contend that flushing leads to both better tasting weed, and a higher quality burn with less ash.
In that flushing removes nutrients from the soil? Yes. In a higher quality of smoke? We can’t say.
Old school growers, and their modern mentees swear that flushing is a necessary part of a higher quality high, citing increased smoothness and deeper flavors. However, on the other side, some growers say it isn’t necessary to stop supplementation, and that feeding right up until the first snip is working perfectly for them.
Ultimately, the only way to get close to a conclusion would be to stage a wide-scale blind taste test in adult-use states (no way this is going to be covered by a prescription), with flushed and unflushed weed. As to what neutral organization might fund that, we’re not sure.
But tastes still remain subjective, and so a true answer will have to stay a pipe dream for now.
January 28, 2023 0 Comments
Water’s essential for cannabis growth–plants need water,that's a given. But the quality of that water can turn your yields into either the stuff of dreams or…”a learning experience”. There are ideal conditions of PH, mineral content, and water temperature for cannabis plants that need to be met for maximum health and maximum quantity of flower, so watering plants is deeper than you might think! Pun intended.
Of all these qualities, water temperature tends to be the most overlooked. For soil growers, water usually comes out room temperature from a tap or distilled jug, and it's not often you'll see a hydroponic grower decide to load their tank with crushed ice. But to understand why this point of quality in your H2O can't go completely under the radar, we'll need to take a look at water's effects on your plants beyond what's on the surface.
Physical and chemical reactions are taking place on a cellular level when you water! Understanding what watering actually does for your crops is key to keeping up with what needs to be done on your end–so take this “water is wet” kind of info seriously.
Plants don’t have bones or exoskeletons like animals do. What holds them up structurally are their cell walls– protective membranes that are unique to plants and fungi. These cell walls in cannabis are comparable to water balloons. Given an excess of water, they’ll burst, leading to limp, soggy structures that can’t be restored. Given too little water, they’ll be shriveled until eventually being totally unable to take in any water at all without rupturing.
But at the perfect amount, you’ll have elastic, resilient structures that:
Transpiration is another physical phenomenon that requires proper intake of water and proper water temperature for cannabis plants. Specialized cells on your cannabis' leaves called 'stomata' are the exchange point for oxygen and carbon dioxide, as well as a small amount of water vapor, which becomes a larger (comparatively) amount in cases of mild overwatering. You can think of them as tiny nostrils that line every leaf. For transpiration to take place as needed, each stoma must be adequately pressurized by, you guessed it, water content in its cells. If these cells are too compressed by dryness or blown out by an overabundance of water, the problems with your plants will continue to snowball as interconnected systems begin to go down one after the other. Your weed needs to breathe!
Now that we know what's going on with water and weed on a microscopic level, let's go down even further to the atomic scale.
Although in the wild, ancient and modern day "feral" cannabis derived nutrients from bacteria breaking down dead matter near it, growers like you are raising a refined, higher quality version of that same plant. That means waiting for a mouse to die nearby and go through the cycles of breaking down and being reclaimed isn't your cannabis' only option for nutrient intake. Our way is faster, and less smelly for a reason–Lotus Nutrients uses all water-soluble compounds that all make their way into your weed with ease. The only exceptions are the extracts used for helpful microbe feeding.
Point here is that water functions as an indispensable nutrient-relaying medium for domesticated cannabis, especially when your aim is to grow bigger, stickier buds to harvest.
Without the right water temperature, PH, and PPM, these nutrients won't absorb as designed, leaving your future yields compromised at best, your plants dead at worst. And what makes up the water is just as important as what's in it!
Water is made of two parts Hydrogen, one part Oxygen. And both of these elements are as much macronutrients as Nitrogen and Potassium!
You've never seen either element on a nutrient ingredient list, including ours for a few reasons. Oxides, which you'll know as any chemical name ending in 'ide' like potassium chloride, are chemical compounds that easily dissolve in water thanks to bonding with oxygen. So technically you do see oxygen in your list, just not by itself. Getting this gas into pure dry form is no easy feat, and with hydrogen…our chemical engineers weren't too keen on trying too hard to split it into anything else.
The biggest reason however? You give your plants these elements whenever you water! Extra aeration can be provided to sickly roots by further diluting drugstore hydrogen peroxide (H202) into water, but by and large, your plants won't need any more Hydrogen or Oxygen than is in their water rations.
Oxygen is an essential part of respiration–how plants produce oxygen in a breathable form for us by breaking down carbon dioxide. Like transpiration, this process also takes place through the stomata, but rather than moving water around and out, respiration is a necessary part of metabolizing glucose in addition to releasing the byproduct of the Carbon plants need. Carbon is a third macronutrient that tends not to get counted as it flows freely in the air as CO2, and growing plants in the total vacuum of space is not what most cannabis cultivators have in mind.
Hydrogen as a macronutrient is another building block element. The chains of amino acids that drive cell growth are spurred on by hydrogen ions (multiple atoms bonded together) 'donating' their electrons to other compounds. This exchange prompts an entire nanoscopic assembly line that turns glucose and nutrients into new cells!
Cannabis can be finicky about water temperature, more so than we'd like to think! Most people know not to pour whatever's leftover from a boiled tea kettle over their grow (we hope), but pouring in water fresh from the filter in the fridge, or straight out of a forgotten car bottle on a sunny spring day can also be ill-advised!
When watering cannabis grown in soil, your ideal temperature is between 65 and 73 degrees Fahrenheit. Water that's higher in temperature, like your pasta rinse, or that excess from the summer bird bath, will be lower in oxygen. Roots will struggle more to take in what they need and pass it along. Additionally, the environment that this lower oxygen creates, as well as the added warmth, will increase the growth of microbes–not all of which are 420 friendly. If you're growing inside in a tent, repeatedly adding higher temperature water will raise both temperature and humidity inside, making growth and transpiration more difficult, so keeping it room temp or just a bit below is ideal.
If cold water's so great, why isn't iced water better? Simple! Your cannabis is not a member of the Polar Bear Club! If the water you add is too much colder than the ideal range, your roots will be shocked. Just like a cold human, they'll contract their tissues and shut down for a bit. Too much of this will lead to stress, and even nutrient lockout!
For plants living in water full time, the best temperature shifts down slightly to 63-68 degrees. Because the roots are constantly saturated, it's better to have a cooler temperature work with your aeration system to keep everything oxygenated and unslimey. Hydroponic chronic is subject to the same microbes and stresses with too-hot and too-cold water as soil is–though the larger volume of water means that temperature changes need to be taken seriously.
A water heater (like the kind you'd see in an aquarium) or an external water chilling system may be necessary depending on where you're located, and what kind of structure your hydroponics are inside.
It's not advisable to add very hot water or ice to your hydroponics to adjust the temperature due to the possibility of shock. If your system needs an immediate change, sub in PH tested water closer to the right temperature after bailing some of the original water out.
While it's important to invest in a thermometer for your hydroponic grows, your soil can be a little more relaxed. Most people instinctively recognize the range of temperatures soil favors just by touch–cool, like a pool, but not refreshingly cold like a refrigerated beverage. So long as you neither shiver, nor want to shower in it, you'll probably be fine, but if you want to make absolutely certain–a thermometer, bucket, and lifting with your legs will be easy additions to your watering routine.
Want more info on watering? Watch this space, and check out our YouTube channel for FAQ's and interviews!
January 27, 2023 0 Comments
Growing your cannabis in the open? Congratulations on being in an area where you can! But there's more to it than throwing your seeds in the yard and crossing your fingers. Let's break down what you'll need for your weed!
Yes! But also, no.
Weed can and does grow outside–like any plant. However, we've come a long way since the herb was discovered in ancient Asia. Breeding strains for different qualities and testing/remaking cannabis nutrients over the years has led to unprecedented heights (pun intended) in the weed world that never would have been reached without intentional human intervention and decades of research.
Compare the yields and potency of any given ditchweed to properly cultivated cannabis. The quality is miles apart, and with good reason–good weed has needs!
To grow weed outdoors, you'll need...
Absent a quality grow light, the sun is the best thing for your grow! Cannabis grows best in high light areas, needing a minimum of six hours direct sun daily.
You can maximize the amount of light your whole plant gets with outside trellising or gently training your cannabis to expand horizontally.
Cannabis is a hardy plant, but without a good foundation to put roots in, it's a labor in lost cause! If your yard's soil is all sand, or packed clay, you've got two options. You can rent a backhoe and dig a space for your plants–advisable if you're going for quantity, or you can grow from large pots. Either way, you'll need a nutritious soil that drains well to plant your pot in.
As your cannabis plants grow, they'll start to use up the nutrients in the soil. That's why it's important to fertilize them throughout their life cycle. A good rule of thumb is to start with a soil that already has some nutrients in it. That way, you'll know that your young cannabis is getting what it needs from the start without becoming overloaded and susceptible to nutrient burn. You can add organic matter to your soil, like compost or manure, to give it a natural boost. However, as your plants continue to mature, you can boost their growth with extra nourishment.
Cannabis needs different nutrients at different stages of its life, so it's important to choose a fertilizer that's specifically designed for growing weed during its vegetative stage and its flowering stage. That way, you can be sure that your plants are getting everything they need to grow big and strong and sticky!
If the rain rained and the sun shone on a reliable schedule, planting crops would be a hundred times more easy. But the reality is that sometimes cloud juice just won't be enough for your grow! You'll have to make sure to PH test what comes out of your hose at every watering, and make necessary adjustments if your tap isn't running up to par (most people's aren't). Test your water each time (before adding any nutrients), and make sure you're getting a PH reading between 5.5 and 5.8. Water that's too acidic or basic can cause nutrient lockout, and starve your harvest before it even begins, so set aside the time to test no matter what!
When you're growing green gold, everybody wants a piece. You'll find yourself dealing with insect pests like various caterpillars and aphids. You may also have to contend with macroscopic annoyances like rabbits, deer, and feral cats! All of these pests will chew on, poop in, and ruin your grow if you don't take preventative and curative measures such as insecticidal bacteria and plant-friendly bitterants.
Unfortunately, you may also have to deal with the human element. Both unscrupulous pot proponents and anti-health activists may take an interest in your garden's progress. Keep your grow lower than your fence is high, and on a need-to-know basis only just in case, and be sure to set up cameras, motion sensitive lights, and quality gate locks to keep your grow safe.
It's not uncommon to see outdoor growers camp in their own yards during the flower stage, but if that's not the answer for you, the important thing is to keep as many tabs on your grow as you can!
Growing weed outdoors is a great way to enjoy the sun and fresh air while you cultivate your own personal cannabis crop. While it has its own unique challenges, it's a more cost-conscious practice than indoor growing, provided you're committed to keeping your ladies well monitored and well fed. With the right of planning and effort, you can grow weed that's just as good, if not better, than what you'd find at your local dispensary!
So what are you waiting for? Get out there and start growing!
January 26, 2023 0 Comments
What goes into making hydroponic nutrients go from just okay to totally indispensable? We can tell you! The best hydroponic nutrients for marijuana's specific needs aren't found in your average general store for a reason (no, not just that one).
Generalizations aren't even that great where decorative houseplants are concerned. What feeds an orchid will kill a sundew. So a plant as totally unique as cannabis needs nutrients made with as much ingenuity as specificity. Learn what goes into our nutrients, why we chose the compounds we have, and how your hydroponic setup will thrive when living on Lotus Nutrients!
Hydroponic growing presents more challenges than soil growing from the getgo–with every advantage being a double-edged sword when in unobservant hands.
Cannabis grown hydroponically will grow faster…but it needs more nutrients to do so, since it lives in pure water.
Cannabis grown in soil is more prone to hosting harmful microbes…but helpful microbes also thrive in soil the way they can't in unnourished water.
Cannabis in a hydroponic set up will take in nutrients more readily…but overfeeding and burn are more likely because of the faster uptake when people amend their feeding schedules past what we recommend.
So how can such different mediums benefit from the same nutrients? Simple. Unlike other mere plant food, we designed our supplements starting from the needs of the specific crop, not the medium it's grown in. Because our nutrients are completely water-soluble, a grower who's committed to thorough mixing, PH testing their water properly, and trimming a hefty harvest for weeks on end can enjoy the results of our nutrients no matter whether they're in soil, inside, or in space! And that's due to our medium-agnostic level of attention to one plant in particular.
For hydroponic growers, we're not here to be the best for "plants". Leafy greens like lettuce are wonderful when grown via hydro, but we're not here to scattershot our way to excellence by covering multiple crops. We're here to be the best hydroponic nutrients for marijuanas, ganjas, and cannabises! Hemps too. Why not.
Lotus Nutrients, like all the gear in Grow Strong Industries family, is headed by North California cannabis growers, who've been growing since before pot prohibition was so much as a scribble on a legislative post-it note.
The methods, tech, science, and potency of cannabis have all been refined, while legality, types of strains, and acceptance have all been expanded. It's only by deep involvement and personal investment in these changes that Lotus Nutrients could be made with the expertise you need to nourish your grow past the expected and into the extraordinary.
We chose:
Why'd we pass the job of mixing the nutrients on to you? Are we yet another company eating out of the hands of Big Spatula? The answer is much more simple: we chose not to make you pay for water. No matter how concentrated that plant tea is, the main ingredient by volume will always be water, and we figured hydroponic growers probably have a good amount of that on hand. Liquid nutrients aren't just less concentrated, they're heavier to ship as a result of that pre-dilution. Our nutrients are the texture of moist sand, to help you save money while you raise your green girls to the best they can be.
Just because there's a lot of science behind growing the strongest, stickiest bud doesn't mean your grow space has to have a different jar of nutrients for every day of the month. We formulated the best hydroponic nutrients for marijuanas of any strain with simplicity in mind. When you put the cannabis first, and trust growers to observe their cannabis' condition and adjust their environment accordingly, there's no need to think up a different nutrient for 30 different possible situations.
We have three formulas that correspond to growth stages, and two fixers for chemical stresses, and that's it.
When you start from the best, there's no need for excess iteration.
It's not the size of your grow that matters, it's what you do with it! That's why we decided against half liter bottles across the board. Whether you have a single bucket in a lockable closet, or a 10x10 personal pot room, we keep the right sizes for you at the ready so that there's no need to swing between fumbling giant jars and trying to stock up on sample sizes. We go up from 16 oz to 256 oz–five sizes that double in weight as you move to the next–so that you always have the right amount for a sea of green, a small-and-mighty oasis, and everything in between.
If you want to get technical, bone meal is a great source of calcium for plants grown for their flowers! But if you want to get more technical (we always do), the calcium it imparts works wonders for roses, chili peppers, and plants that like their soil on the acidic side. That's why we made our nutrients with most readily absorbed forms of the minerals plants need, making the compounds we chose the best hydroponic nutrients for marijuanas' wellbeing–autoflowers and standard strains alike!
Our Carboflush formula was made for correcting nutrient lockout, and for old-school growers who flush their cannabis a couple weeks before harvesting. This handy helper neutralizes and strips minerals from mediums–but it's not just a magic eraser. We added humic acid and glucose to help feed the helpful microbes still living in your hydro-setup. This helps plants in corrective flushes bounce back faster, and aids cannabis being flushed for taste in staying less stressed as it kicks towards that finish line.
The CalMag formula adds two important macronutrients to grows recovering from lockout or deficiencies from inferior plant food. We use the easily dissolved, easily absorbed Calcium SulfATE and Magnesium SulfATE in this additive, and those scientific suffixes are important! Anything ending in -ate is an ionic compound of three elements or more, when one of them is oxygen. It's this airy element that lends these essential alkaline metals the ability to easily dissolve, and distribute themselves properly rather than clumping, clogging, and compromising the water flow.
Lotus Nutrients Grow and Bloom are nutrients that ramp up the building of vegetation and the building of buds respectively. And you might notice something about the metals in our ingredient list. Chelated zinc. Chelated copper. Chelated iron and manganese. What does that mean? It's what makes these nutrients perfect for hydroponic setups and maximum absorption. The phosphate salts (not salt as in table salt, salts as in chemical salts) that nourish plants have a bad habit of reacting with these metals, turning them into solids, and keeping them from being taken up by the roots, even though the particles can't be seen! We use chelated elements because this bonding process keeps this natural reaction from occuring! That means it's all bio-available, and in a form your cannabis can actually consume, rather than just contact.
Both of these formulas also include a soluble kelp extract–to keep beneficial microbes happy and well fed as your cannabis grows! Sea weed? Can we ever!
Lotus Nutrients Boost is a final stage pot-pumper-upper that makes stickier buds that surpass expected potency levels for any strain. We included soy protein hydrolysate to be uptaken with the nitrogen that helps amino acids metabolize into the trichomes of every grower's wildest dreams!
Our chemistry speaks for itself, but so does our team! We're all growers, from the top of the company down to our California-based customer service team, and we keep our culture and services open and helpful to all growers no matter their experience level.
Robotics are fine where they're needed. But grower to grower? Our humanity sets us apart just as much as our mad marijuana science.
Ready to grow like never before?
Get started with an order today.
January 24, 2023 0 Comments
Can you ever over-nourish your weed? You wouldn't stop feeding a fish, or watering a rose bush, after all. So figuring out when to stop giving cannabis nutrients might sound like an exercise in plant neglect! Is there ever actually an ideal time to stop? Why is halting nutrients any different than denying access to a grow light? We'll explore why growers decide to stop their nutrient regimen, and the effects it can have for beginner growers, old heads considering something new, and everyone in between.
There aren't many reasons why stopping a nutrient schedule is right for your cannabis. After all, there's no other way for them to obtain the minerals and salts (not salt, salts) that they need. Deficiencies are no joke, and a stressed out, underfed plant will put out puny yields at best, and starve to death at worst! But of the few reasons there are to stop feeding your weed, some of them are monumentally important!
Turns out when it comes to concentrated chemical compounds, you can have too much of a good thing! Unlike us, plants don't have the option to recognize an unhealthy eating pattern and move away from it. So it's important to correctly size your plant, triple-check the feeding schedule, and to dilute dry nutrients properly in order to avoid overfeeding your grow. Without these steps, your cannabis will have too high a concentration of normally helpful elements in its growing medium, and be subject to nutrient burn and nutrient lockout!
Nutrient burn in cannabis plants occurs when your plant has absorbed too many compounds to safely break down and use. You can find the human equivalent in an iron overdose–when there's just too much of it for the body to process, it becomes toxic!
As your plant tries and fails to break down the excess elements, root and leaf tissue will begin to degrade, and wither–leading to the "burn". This breakdown effects overall plant health, impedes ability to feed on light and water, and can affect yields severely as a result. If left totally unchecked, nutrient burn is fatal to cannabis–so being careful not to over love your crops and knowing when to stop giving cannabis nutrients is tantamount!
Nutrient burn starts at the roots, but it will be visible in the leaves as it spreads. Your cannabis, depending on the natural color of the strain, may turn a much darker, more vibrant green at first–leading beginner growers to assume they're doing something very right if they aren't careful! But soon after, starting from the bottom of the plant, leaves will begin to develop twisting, curling, and yellowing at the tips of the leaves that will begin spreading inwards. The yellowing can't be corrected, and those leaves will be lost! It takes energy to grow leaves back (energy that could be saved for growing buds), so minimizing the greenery lost through prevention of overfeeding is key!
January 23, 2023 0 Comments
As you can imagine, calcium deficiency is nothing good. If calmag lockout occurs and this mineral can no longer be absorbed, you can expect a weak, brown-polka dotted, saddened plant that crumples into a pile the longer the deficiency goes unaddressed. As cell walls continue to be built without their support structure, the plant and leaves will become floppier, and unable to properly transpire (the plant equivalent of breathing). Transpiration is how plants exchange carbon dioxide and oxygen, as well as water vapor. Without calcium-enriched cell walls holding the cannabis leaves' stomatae open (the plant equivalent of nostrils) properly, that moisture gets backed up and leads to the breakdown of absorbing the carbon from the air–further starving your already undernourished grow!
Because the same conditions that accompany calcium deficiency, like overly acidic soil, can also cause other nutrients to be locked out, you may see different signs in addition to the tell-tale brown spotting of calcium deficiency, but the unexpected blotching is the most noteworthy signal.
Calcium is only semi mobile–the "skeleton" of the plant can't move around after all, so newer growth tends to show these spots first. Look for discoloration on leaves closer to the top of the plant, and address the issue before it spreads!
Magnesium is another alkaline earth metal, atomic number 12, and right above its cousin calcium on the periodic table. It's the eighth most present material in the earth's crust, and is also a shiny gray, easily cut metal that burns with a bright white flame.
Protip, keep your nutrients away from open fires. The brick red of calcium, white of magnesium, green of copper and more may be beautiful, but it's not worth the hazard.
In a banner year for Sir Humphry Davy, magnesium was also isolated in 1808 via running electricity through compounds containing the element. However its healing effects when mixed with water had been noted before as the still-powerful, unchanged for 400 years Epsom Salts we use on small cuts and sore muscles.
Magnesium is the 11th most concentrated element in the human body, and helps us with muscle relaxation–both smooth (like our intestines) and skeletal (everything else that isn't our heart). In cannabis, it allows for the production of chlorophyll–and is directly responsible for how well the plant can photosynthesize.
Cannabis needs more magnesium in its 'diet' in comparison to other leafy plants, at a rate of between 50 and 75 ppm, depending on its growth stage. Epsom salts have been an older, more primitive method of adding magnesium to soil–as they leach in quickly, but as they're incomplete nutrients and a corrective measure only it's ill-advised to use them by themselves to combat nutrient lockout.
Because magnesium is so integral to forming chloroplasts, the first thing you'll notice is a fading of the leaf color called chlorosis. Leaves will begin to pale and then yellow around their edges and in between their veins, starting from the oldest bottom leaves and moving upwards. Magnesium is a mobile nutrient, meaning that cannabis can 'pull it' to where a severe deficiency would do the most damage. This pulling doesn't mean any part of your plant is disposable of course–but just like a lizard might shed its tail when it's in danger, your plant is performing hardcore damage control. It's up to you to stay observant so that nothing progresses past the point of no return!
Because calcium and magnesium are such closely related elements, they appear and disappear in the same circumstances. Any environment that causes calcium to be in too high an amount will do the same for magnesium, and anything that causes magnesium to dissapate, like overly acidic soil, will do the same for calcium.
Calmag lockout causes deficiencies in these (and most likely other) nutrients, and leads to a deadly chain of breakdowns as the important metabolic processes are halted in the plants. Corrective measures need to be taken as soon as signs appear!
Fixing nutrient lockout is a multistep process! Because lockout is different from a regular deficiency, simply adding more nutrients to the medium will not be an effective treatment.
Your plants will continue to be locked out, the roots may be burned by an overabundance of nutrients in the soil, causing even more damage, and you'll have wasted otherwise effective nutrients that your stressed plants will need later!
Remember, a locked out grow is like a hungry baby at a buffet. All the necessary nutrients are right there for the taking…but they're not in an accessible form!
In cases where lockout is caused by excessive feeding, a thorough flush is necessary to get the medium reset. With soil, watering to the point of over flow and measuring ppm of the drainage is the way to go, while hydro grows can have their pipes cleaned and their water wholly replaced.
Both mediums can benefit from a flush assistant like Lotus Nutrients Carboflush–which neutralizes overabundant compounds to help speed the process.
It's important to remember that correcting lockout will only restore the plant's ability to retake nutrients. Leaves that have totally yellowed or spotted beyond recognition will not be restored.
And, with calmag lockout, and any other nutrient lockout, flushing may only solve part of the issue!
Inspecting your growing environment to prevent further issues is tantamount to keeping your grow thriving.
To keep calmag lockout from ocurring, or reocurring, you need to make sure your plants aren't stressed.
Nutrient overdose is a common cause. It can be easily solved post-flush by following only the feeding schedule put forward by the manufacturer and no one else. But it's not the only thing to pay attention to!
PH plays a big part in nutrient lockout. A medium that's too acidic or too basic can cause the plant to shut down its nutrient uptake. Test all water that you water with (after adding nutrients when applicable) to make sure it falls within that 5.8-6.2 range.
Check the environment you're growing in as well! If your plants are growing in the kind of peaty soil meant for plants found in bogs, the entire medium will throw off your nutritional balances! Uprooting the plant entirely is obviously a risky process and stressful to you and your cannabis, so make sure you're starting with the right materials from the get go.
Looking for more tips and tricks? You can watch along at our YouTube channel for the answers to frequently asked questions, interviews with our veteran grower cofounders, marijuana mythbusting and more!
You're here for your grow. So are we.