When you grow marijuana, the main objective that we all seek is to be able to develop a magnificent product: with a wonderful smell, flavor and effects that make the investment of time, money and effort dedicated to the plant profitable.
However, before you can harvest the long-awaited fruit, there are a series of areas and characteristics that you must take care of to optimize the development of the plant, since its vitality and integrity will depend on them, as well as the quality you obtain from its buds. .
One of the most important factors that you should keep observed is the pH of the substrate, the plant and the water you use to water.
THE PH
The pH or hydrogen potential is the unit used to measure the presence or activity of hydrogen ions in a solution depending on whether it is diluted or not.
The pH is measured following a scale that goes from 1 to 14, establishing intensity 7 as the midpoint or “neutral” point.
Any pH with a value below 7 will be considered an acidic solution (human skin, for example, sets its neutral pH at approximately 5.5), while it will be an alkaline solution (a solution that tends to produce irritations and also produce bitter flavors) if its value is higher.
As for the marijuana plant, the ideal pH will depend on its variety and will be totally influenced by various factors of the environment in which the crop is grown, some controllable and others that must be anticipated.
Even so, and in general terms we can establish that the pH of marijuana will vary depending on the stage of its life in which it is found, something that happens in all living beings, so the ideal pH levels will vary depending on of the plant’s metabolism and therefore, it exercises a regulatory function of the amount of nutrients that the plant absorbs from its environment and the efficiency with which it does so.
For example, when marijuana is growing, low levels will be needed, that is, the pH of the substrate and water should be set at 6, since the roots in this acidity range will have great ease in absorbing nitrogen from the soil and enhancing its correct initial development (in addition to being able to nourish itself with other elements necessary in this phase of its life) while in the event that the pH falls below 6, the plant will present many difficulties in obtaining elements from the soil (phosphoric acid calcium or magnesium) which it needs due to the high acidity of the roots.
If the pH drops even lower, the plant could begin to suffer from diseases that can seriously affect its integrity.
On the other hand, when the plant is flowering it will need a pH fluctuation between 6.8 and 7 to be able to obtain phosphorus and potassium much more effectively (the most important elements for the plant during this stage of its life). .
It should be noted that if the pH reaches values above 7.5, the plant will be totally unable to consume zinc, manganese, boron, copper or iron from the substrate, which is also a source of diseases for the plant.
The pH in the substrate
It is for these reasons that, despite the fact that many inexperienced growers assure that pH is a factor to which paying attention is a waste of time and resources, in numerous cases the plant will not give a result with satisfactory quality or the plant will directly turn. It will turn yellow and die due to lack of care.
In order to exercise exhaustive and efficient control of the pH, its levels in the substrate must be controlled from the beginning of the crop, because if counterproductive levels are detected in time, these can be corrected in time by watering or fertilizing according to the variation. searched.
It should be mentioned that when you grow in soil, that is, if you grow in sandy, clay or forest substrates, the pH is predetermined in them and each one has its pH range: the sandy substrate is acidic by nature but promotes excellent drainage of the soil. water and the roots can grow easily thanks to the low resistance that this substrate offers, however it is unable to retain nutrients so it requires a fertilizer that softens its acidity and makes it more compact.
Clay substrates are extremely compact, which causes water retention (so carelessness in the pH of the same can cause large variations of this in the substrate) and makes it difficult for the roots to grow properly and finally the forest substrate that It tends to be positioned as the most neutral although it may present a tendency towards acidity as it contains decomposing plant remains in its most superficial area.
The most popular methods to increase the acidity of the substrate are the application of a mixture of lemon or vinegar with water, while to increase the alkalinity, controlled amounts of silicon will be applied.
pH in hydroponic crops
Hydroponic cultivation consists of planting vegetables in only mineral bases, or directly without soil so that the roots stretch enough to reach the common irrigation channel for all plants.
This method finds its strength in that any substrate presents a certain resistance to “deliver” its nutrients to the plant while the water contains inorganic ions that facilitate the task of nutrition for any type of plant, in a way that maximizes the amount of nutrients. absorbed.
As is evident, the most important element in this cultivation mechanics is water, since in it all the elements needed by the plant will be found dissolved and that is why the types and quantities of nutrients that are dissolved must be taken with great caution. in it, taking into account the metabolic stage of the plants and their health states.
In the same way, we must take great care of the pH level of the water because by interacting directly with the roots, any imbalance in it will produce immediate effects and with much greater power than when there are variations in the substrate.
That is why when the plant is growing, the pH of the water should be established at 5.5 and gradually increase it to 5.9, at which time the flowering process should begin, during which the pH should oscillate between a value of 6 and 6.2.
In the weeks and days prior to harvest, and if the plant and its buds present optimal aspects and states, the pH will be raised to a limit of 6.5 to enhance the plant’s nutrition effect and enrich its buds.
The pH in organic crops
When we grow in organic substrate, it presents microbacterial life which will favor the life of the plant. However, pH fluctuations can threaten the integrity of these beneficial bacteria for the crop, so measured control of their variations will have to be carried out.
When growing in substrate, the plant cannot absorb nutrients with the same ease as in the hydroponic system, so the pH of the substrate must be higher, that is, in the previous system, we saw that the pH varies from 5.5 to a 6.5 throughout the life of the plant, while in an organic growing system, this variation will range between 6 and 7 to make it easier for the roots to feed.
It must be taken into account that bacterial life and the soil components themselves create an effect called “buffer effect” that controls and stabilizes pH levels.
What is the problem with this? That if the fertilizer or water with which we nourish the soil has very high or low pH levels (in short, very different from those of the growing medium), after a prolonged series of repetitions in its application, the buffer effect will tend to concentrate and retain that variation by changing the levels of the substrate itself. This poses a serious risk to the crop, since careless nutrition of the plant will affect the bacterial life and its nutrients so that the plant will not be able to feed properly.
