Nutrient deficiency: Phosphorus (P)

Phosphorus summary

Phosphorus plays an important role in all living organisms and forms an essential element in plant and animal foodstuffs. It has a key position in cell metabolism and the plant’s total energy transfer. It is also a building block for the cell walls, DNA and all sorts of proteins and enzymes. The availability of phosphate is essential for young plants since approximately three-quarters of the total amount of phosphorus absorbed by the plant occurs before it is a quarter of the way through its life cycle! The biggest concentrations of phosphorus are also found in the self-developing plant parts such as the roots, side shoots and vascular tissue.

Phosphorus is a non-metal, chemical element which, because of its nature, is not found in its pure form because it is extremely reactive. It was discovered in 1669 by an alchemist who was condensing urine in an attempt to make gold. Phosphate compounds are rarely found in nature in the form that plants can utilise. Ground bones (bone meal) were previously used as fertilizer and they were later treated with sulphuric acid which made the phosphates a lot easier to absorb. In the second half of the 19^th century, guano, a natural phosphate fertilizer, was dug up on a large scale and used in farming. These raw materials are currently obtained from rock phosphates which are phosphate rich ores. Some of the locations where this is mined include Morocco, Algeria and North and South America. In order to make rock phosphates suitable for use in agriculture and market gardening they are first acidified and purified. In alternative agriculture they are first finely ground or heated and are then available to the trade as expanded granules.

• In the beginning the plant has a dark green color but it’s a different dark green (blue-green) from that of a K deficiency.

• Growth in height and the development of side shoots are inhibited.

• After 2 to 3 weeks dark purple/black necrotic spots form on the older and middle-aged leaves causing them to deform.

• The purple/black necrosis later spreads out to the leaf stalks. The leaves turn, curl badly and die.

Nutrient deficiency: Potassium (K)

Summary

Potassium is present throughout plants and is required for all water-related transport activities in plants including opening and closing the stomas. Potassium is also responsible for the plants’ strength and quality and it controls countless other processes such as carbohydrate management.
The Romans and Etruscans improved the soil with potassium by burning down the local vegetation and this form of slash-and-burn has been employed throughout the world during the last centuries and has resulted in enormous soil erosion. In the thirties, wood ash mixed with stable manure was frequently used in the Netherlands.
Potassium is a soft, silver-white metal that reacts very violently with water and light in its pure form. 300 million years ago minerals such as potassium, sodium and magnesium became dissolved in the sea due to soil erosion. The seawater evaporated in large sea basins and the salts crystallised. This created the salt formations in Alsace in south-western Germany. Around the turn of the century only table salt was extracted from these formations and the excess potassium salt was discharged into the Rhine. Because of the increasing use of inorganic fertilizers, other minerals such as magnesium, sulphur (Epsom salts), phosphorus and boron are now extracted from these mines as well as table salt and potassium.

• In the beginning you see a healthy looking, dark green plant with semi-shiny leaves that later become dull.
• Plants often have more side shoots than is normal and stems remain thinner.
• The points of the young leaves get grey edges, later turning rust brown, necrotic and they shrivel and curl up.
• The leaves turn yellow progressing from the edge towards the veins and necrotic, rust brown spots appear in the leaf.
• The leaves often turn or curl radially in the top, entire leaves become necrotic and they continue to curl and then fall off (old leaves).
• If it is a severe deficiency the plant will look dull and unhealthy and flowering will be severely inhibited

Nutrient deficiency: Magnesium (Mg)

Summary

Magnesium is a vital element for humans, plants and animals. Among other things it is a building block for chlorophyll in plants so it is essential for photosynthesis and it also plays an important role in a number of metabolic processes. Magnesium compounds have been used since antiquity in medicine for heartburn, against poisoning and as a laxative. Magnesium powder is used on equipment for gymnastic exercises because it makes the hands rough and absorbs moisture. Magnesium is a very light, malleable, elastic metal with a silver-white sheen that burns with a blinding light in the air. It is one of the most common elements on earth and the earth’s crust contains approx. 2.09% magnesium, but only in compound form. Magnesium compounds are frequently found in seawater, salt deposits, water from salt lakes and in some mineral waters. It is also present in tap water and, together with calcium, is responsible for the hardness of water. Inorganic, magnesium fertilizers are prepared from the same salts as are used when preparing potassium fertilizers. When grown from seeds cannabis don’t need extra nutrients for the first two weeks.

• There are no visible symptoms in the first 3 – 4 weeks, the plant continues to grow well, is dark green and looks healthy.

• The deficiency symptoms first become visible in cannabis after 4 – 6 weeks when small, rust brown necrotic spots and/or cloud-like chlorosis appear under the flowering top on the middle-aged leaves. The color of the young leaves and the development of the flowers remains normal.

• The size and number of the rust brown spots increases on the leaves while the chlorosis also spreads and becomes yellower.

• The symptoms spread throughout the plant which will now look a sorry sight.

• If it is a serious deficiency the young leaves will also become chlorotic and production will fall.

Growing Cannabis Guide 1/6 – A good start is half the work

This week we will kick of with a series of marijuana growing guides. Every other day we will have a new post with growing information for you guys (and girls) to enjoy. The goal is to end up with a manual for the breeding of healthy, usable cannabis plants from sprout to harvest. Growing your own weed is fun and absolutely not difficult! In the following posts we will explain in a clear way what you must and must not to do to get the best results out of your seeds. Have Fun!

Growing Cannabis Guide 1/6 – A good start is half the work.

First you will have to figure out where you want to grow your plants. What kind of cannabis strain should you purchase? A good seed shop will offer you the choice between outside growing, inside growing and inside/outside growing.

Every way of growing has it`s own advantage and disadvantage, outdoor cannabis will have to grow and flower for a longer period compared to inside growing cannabis, but the results after harvesting will also be much better. The table below will help you in making your choice.

Factor	Inside	Outside
Privacy	High	Low
Harvest results	Good	Better
Growing time	9-10 weeks	20-25 weeks
When	All year	Season
Skills	More complicated	Easy
Costs	High investment	Low investment
Climate	Steady	Variable

Growing Cannabis Guide 2/6 – From Seed to Seedling >>