Nutrients for Hydroponic Gardening

Using the proper nutrient sloution when growing hydroponic marijuana is extremely important. You always need to make sure that the nutrients can be broken down chemically within the plant, no matter what strain or origin the plant is. Some manufacturers of hydroponic chemicals use an all-organic base and some companies make their nutrients using chemicals and science. There are many companies that are using food-grade nutrients to make their fertilizers. I have personally found that the chemical base fertilizer has worked best for my Indica I grow indoors in an ebb and flow system. Other people prefer organic base for many reasons too, most common reason being the fact that there are no man-made chemicals. Both types of liquid fertilizers will provide excellent results if used properly.

Hydroponic Nutrient Formulations

Soluble hydroponic formulations contain all the nutrients the plants need to grow healthy, as well, the high-quality nutrients usually wont leave any residue in the reservoir or tray tables. I know people that use commercial grade fertilizers balanced formulas to grow their marijuana and have had great success doing so. I have always used a General Hydroponics 3-part nutrient system with outstanding results and have never had any reason to try any other brands of nutrients. Most 3 part nutrient systems will contain all the necessary macro and micronutrients your plants need to intake food and promote rapid growth. Stay away from the cheap “discount” hydroponic fertilizers as they contain low-quality, impure components that leave residue and sediment buildup. This buildup becomes a headache when trying to keep your systems clean and your plants roots healthy.

Nutrient Solutions

Changing the nutrients in your reservoir is something that should be done once a week to avoid any problems with sediment buildup and nutrient loss. I have found that when the plants are approx. 2 weeks away from harvest, the grow chemicals should be changed every 4 days, and always make sure to flush your buds with plain water for the last 10 days of their bloom stage. Doing this will help remove any chemicals that may still be in the plant and roots, thus giving the buds more of the natural weed flavor and not that “chemical taste”. Learning what the best nutrient solutions for hydroponic gardening are can be time consuming but necessary.