Hydroponic Tag Page
Hydroponic cannabis is cannabis plants grown using a nutrient-water solution and inert growing medium. Plants’ roots are suspended in coco peat, Rockwool, clay pellets, gravel, and perlite, among other mediums. Growing using hydroponic means requires extra care.
Advantages of Using Hydroponic Methods
Marijuana plants are grown using hydroponic means to grow faster than those produced with the regular soil. The plants come in direct contact with the nutrients and absorb more of it, growing more quickly than when soil is used.
Growing hydroponically also enables growers to grow more plants in less space. They can harvest in large quantities. Yields can be 20 to 25 percent more than that produced in the soil.
Using hydroponic means to grow cannabis does not encourage weeds. The absence of weeds saves growers the work of clearing weeds.
There is less prevalence of pests and diseases, as most diseases are soil-borne. Growers are saved from spending resources and time on pest and disease control.
Hydroponic systems do not react with fertilizers as growers can control the exact fertilizer mix. Growers, therefore, do not have to worry about extra chemical activities in roots.
Hydroponic Systems
Deep Water Culture
A deep water culture system is suitable for beginners. It is easy to maintain and also cost-effective. A plant is put in a container, and each container is placed in a grow tray suspended in water.
Nutrient Film Technique
This method is a bit complex. Oxygenated water nutrient solution is pumped from the reservoir to the planting tube. Many growers use large circumference PVC tubing angled at a slight decline to enable pumped water solutions to drain down the planting tube, passing by all the roots before being recycled into the holding tank.
Growers can quickly expand this system by adding more holes in the planting tube or adding more planting tubes. The downside of this system is that if water stagnates in the planting tube, bacteria can grow and kill the cannabis plants. Roots grow fast and thick in this system, and root density may cause chamber clogging.
Aeroponics
The oxygenated water nutrient solution is pumped from the reservoir into misting valves that spray a fine mist into the roots. In this system, the roots are not continually soaked in water. It is costly to set up and is useful for large scale grows they maximize the growing space by allowing successful vertical growth.
Drip Irrigation
Small droppers are placed next to the plant roots, and little drops of water nutrient solution will drip out regularly to feed the plant. This system saves water and nutrients.
Ebb and Flow
In this system, growers flood the grow tray with a water nutrient solution. The solution then flows back into the reservoir in the process of feeding the plants.
Final Thoughts on Hydroponics
Hydroponics enables growers to produce healthy cannabis plants that mature quickly by providing an ideal environment. Growers must take great care of the equipment and nutrients to get great results.
Contact us to learn more about hydroponics. Have you tried growing using hydroponics? We’d love to hear about your experience.