Cannabis cultivation is rapidly evolving into a sophisticated practice, with new and improved growing techniques accompanying this flourishing business. Among these techniques includes growing cannabis plants in water using a hydroponics system.
When managed correctly, hydroponics can lead to faster growth rates and higher yields compared to traditional soil cultivation. If you’re interested in pursuing an endeavor like hydroponics, there are several things you’ll need to know. Let’s start by learning why the pH matters when growing cannabis in water.
In soil, cannabis plants obtain nutrients from organic matter decomposing over time. It’s forgiving of minor fluctuations in pH levels or nutrient mixtures.
However, with water-based systems, plants depend entirely on the grower to add the essential nutrients directly to the water. This method requires precise pH control for optimal nutrient absorption, offering less room for error.
Potential of Hydrogen, or pH, is a numerical scale used to evaluate acidity or alkalinity. The scale ranges from 0 to 14.
A pH level of 7 is considered neutral, which means the solution has an equal amount of acid and alkaline properties. As a result, any value below 7 is acidic, while anything above 7 is alkaline or basic.
When it comes to hydroponic gardening, the pH level of the water can significantly influence how well your cannabis plants absorb nutrients. Each nutrient has a specific pH range where it is most available to plants. If the pH drifts out of this range, some nutrients become less available, leading to deficiencies in the plants even if the nutrients are present in the solution.
The ideal pH range for most plants is slightly acidic, which falls between 5.5 and 6.5 to allow optimal nutrient uptake. If the pH gets too high or too low, it can cause nutrients to become chemically bonded to the water and make them unavailable to the plants.
Adding the right nutrients to promote cannabis growth will help the plant thrive, but balancing the pH levels is crucial as well. Certain nutrients, such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium are essential for cannabis growth.
Nitrogen lowers the pH level, making the solution more acidic. Therefore, adding a nitrogen-based nutrient can be beneficial if your water is too alkaline.
Phosphorus and potassium, on the other hand, tend to raise the pH level, making the solution more alkaline. If your water is too acidic, adding these nutrients can help balance the pH to the desired range.
The pH matters immensely when growing cannabis plants in water. You must remember to constantly monitor the water’s pH levels to ensure the plants are in optimal conditions for successful growth. With the right nutrients and dedication to the enterprise, you’ll have flourishing cannabis plants before you know it.
