Cannabis Culture

PH affects cannabis plant growth and nutrient availability. pH can affect the availability of nutrients. pH can affect the absorption of nutrients by plant roots pH values above 7.5 cause iron, manganese, copper, zinc and boron ions to be less available to plants. pH values below 6 cause the solubility of phosphoric acid, calcium and magnesium to drop. pH values between 3 and 5 and temperatures above 26 degrees Celsius encourage the development of fungal diseases.

Why pH varies! The ratio in uptake of anions (negatively charged nutrients) and cations (positively charged nutrients) by plants may cause substantial shifts in pH. In general, an excess of cation over anion leads to a decrease in pH, whereas an excess of anion over cation uptake leads to an increase in pH. As nitrogen (an element required in large quantities for healthy plant growth) may be supplied either as a cation (ammonium – NH4+) or an anion (nitrate – NO3), the ratio of these two forms of nitrogen in the nutrient solution can have large effects on both the rate and direction of pH changes with time.

This shift in pH can be surprisingly fast. Daylight photosynthesis produces hydrogen ions which can cause the nutrient acidity to increase (lowering the pH). At dusk photosynthesis stops and the plants increase their rate of respiration and this coupled with the respiration of micro organisms and the decomposition of organic matter uses up the hydrogen ions so the acidity of the solution tends to decrease ( pH rises ).

Most varieties of vegetables grow at their best in a nutrient solution having a pH between 6.0 and 7.5 and a nutrient temperature between 20 and 22 degrees Celsius.

In low light cannabis plants take up more potassium and phosphorous from the nutrient solution so the acidity increases (pH drops). In strong intense light (clear sunny days) plants take up more nitrogen from the nutrient solution so the acidity decreases (pH rises). pH can be controlled in two ways.

Extremes in pH can result in precipitation of certain nutrients. For plant roots to be able to absorb nutrients, the nutrients must be dissolved in solution. The process of precipitation (the reverse of dissolving) results in the formation of solids in the nutrient solution, making nutrients unavailable to plants. Not all precipitation settles to the bottom of the tanks, some precipitates occur as very fine suspension invisible to the naked eye. Plants can tell us their problems through leaf symptoms (e.g. iron [Fe] deficiency) when it’s too late. Iron (Fe) is one essential plant nutrient whose solubility is affected by pH which is why it is added in a chelated form (or daily), Fe deficiency symptoms occur readily. At pH values over 7, less than 50% of the Fe is available to plants. At pH 8.0, no Fe is left in solution due to iron hydroxide precipitation (Fe(OH)3 – which eventually converts to rust). As long as the pH is kept below 6.5, over 90% of the Fe is available to plants.

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