by Greg Green
Nutrient control
Remember NPK? Well, NPK are the primary ingredients that are needed in soil for marijuana to grow well. NPK stands for Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium. In addition to these there is something called secondary supplements. Secondary supplements are found within the soil but sometimes not all of them are there. The secondary supplements are as follows. Ca (calcium), Mg (magnesium), and S (sulphur). CaMgS for short. There are also seven more micronutrients. These are as follows: iron, boron, chlorine, manganese, copper, zinc, and molybdenum.
These micronutrients are not extremely important for good plant health, but the secondary nutrients and Primary nutrients are. Check your bag to see if it has some secondary nutrients.
Sometimes a Ca, Mg, or S deficiency in the soil may cause growing problems for your plant. If the soil is lacking one of these factors your plant may start to display a nutrient deficiency. Mg problems are common. To correct this feed your plant a 1/3 of a spoon full of Epsom salts per 3 gallons of water every 3 – 4 weeks.
If your soil does not have these properties and you feel that you are going to have future problems then simply find a feeding product that contains these elements. Next time you feed your plant you will be able to supplement it with these missing secondary nutrients.
Micronutrient problems rarely show themselves unless there is a problem with lockout. Lockout is a chemical reaction that takes place among the nutrients in the soil. It can occur if a large amount of one single nutrient is added. This can lockout the other nutrients, preventing your plant from using them. If lockout does occur then you need to flush your soil.