by Nebula Haze
Is it a good idea to give nutrients to your cannabis plants every watering? Is it better to give nutrients every other watering?
There are many different schools of thought on the “best” way to grow cannabis. In fact, there are almost as many ways to grow weed as there are growers. In my opinion, the best way to grow is the way that you enjoy and get the results you want. And that’s going to be true when it comes to cannabis watering practices, too.
But what is the “best” way to water? There are tons of different ways to accomplish your growing goals, but after experimenting with many different nutrients and watering schedules, I’ve come to realize that there are some “standards” of growing weed that just don’t live up to the scrutiny.
What do I mean? When I started growing marijuana, I was always taught that the best way to water plants is to give nutrients every other watering, with plain water in between to help ensure nutrients don’t build up in the grow medium. Does this work well? Yes! But is it the most productive option? As I’ve experimented with many different plants, I don’t think it is.
Nutrients Every Other Watering
- Half the work (mix up nutrient water half as often)
- Prevent nutrient buildup in the soil
Always Give Nutrients
- Less likely to see yellowing (especially in inert mediums like coco)
- Plants seem to grow a bit faster
- Easier to get nutrient burn
I’ve noticed plants tend to grow faster when given nutrients every watering. Just watch out for nutrient burn
Ultimately, both options work great. If you are pressed for time then mixing up nutrients less often can make growing easier. If you’re growing in soil, which naturally contains some nutrients, you may not notice much difference in growth rates either way.
However, if growing in an inert medium like coco, which does not naturally contain any nutrients, giving nutrients every watering can help plants grow a bit faster while helping prevent the appearance of nutrient deficiencies. Just don’t go overboard with nutrients or your plants will get nutrient burn (leaf tips appear burnt or brown).
Keep in mind that you will need stronger nutrient water if you’re giving nutrients every other watering vs if giving nutrient every watering.
- If giving nutrients every watering, start at half the recommended dose as the bottle or nutrient schedule
- If giving nutrients every other watering, you may be able to give the full recommended dose.
Always watch plants for signs of…
- Nutrient burn – leaves will display burnt tips if you give too high levels of nutrients (how to identify nutrient burn)
- Nitrogen deficiency – yellow lower leaves is the most common symptom of too-low nutrients overall
- Other nutrient deficiencies – most other nutrient deficiencies are caused by too-low pH at the roots
Nutrient burn – too much nutrients (if you see this you should lower the amount of nutrients)
Nitrogen deficiency – if plants appear pale or lime green all over, it means they need higher levels of nitrogen. Since all base nutrient systems for cannabis contain nitrogen, if you see this yellowing it’s likely a sign you should increase nutrients overall
Again, there is no right or wrong way to grow weed, but I hope this article helps you decide what’s the best choice for you when it comes to using nutrients.
What are the best nutrients for growing weed?
