Yo, what’s up my fellow bud growers? It’s Dan coming at you with some knowledge on how to grow some mega cannabis buds using a dope plant nutrient called silica. Don’t know much about it? No worries, I got you.
Silicon may be known for being in your computer, but it’s also found in most plants and can be super beneficial for your weed grow. Silica is a newer addition to cannabis feeding regimes, but it’s gaining traction because it strengthens cell walls, encourages growth, and helps with the uptake of nutrients. Plus, it protects against pests and fungi.
Silica is found naturally in quartz and sand, but it’s also found in living organisms where it strengthens cell walls and boosts defenses against pests. By adding silica to your cannabis plants, you can increase the quality and yield of your crop.
So, let’s dive into all the dope benefits of using silica with your weed plants:
Better growth. By increasing the speed of cell wall creation, your weed plants will grow faster and with more vigour. This means more growth and more bud at the end of it. Plus, your plant will be stronger and able to produce larger and healthier buds.
Better uptake of nutrients. Due to the improved strength of cell walls, plants will be able to uptake water and nutrients more efficiently than before. This leads to healthier overall growth. And hey, a healthier plant means better buds.
Robust and resistant. The hardier cell walls make it more difficult for pests and diseases to take hold of your plant. And if a fungal infection threatens the plant, silica will transport silicon to the affected site to protect the plant.
Prevents the uptake of toxic metals. Silicon in the substrate competes with heavy metals that can be toxic for your plant. By adding silica to the growing medium, you prevent unhealthy uptake of these compounds.
Regulates uptake of nutrients. The uptake of nitrogen is increased while phosphorus uptake is stymied by silicon. As phosphorus can quickly reach toxic levels, adding silica can help control your grow.
Better buds. All of these benefits lead to better overall quality bud production. Your healthier plant will produce more buds with more THC and overall bigger growth. Plus, the trichomes will last longer and taste fresher for a good while.
Now that you know all about the benefits of using silica with your weed plants, here are some essential tips and tricks:
To add silica to your soil, mix potassium silicate (K₂SiO₃) with water. Just be aware that potassium silicate is alkaline and will raise the pH of your substrate. Check before and after feeding to ensure you can make any necessary adjustments to your substrate.
Silica should be stored separately from other nutrients as it requires a pH higher than 7 to remain soluble. Add it to a nutrient mix immediately before administering it to the soil.
Begin giving silica to your plants early during the vegetative stage and stop when they reach the flowering stage. Going beyond this will actually damage your final product. Plants will make the best use of silica when growing and strengthening their stems and branches.
Using silica is not an exact art, so 100ppm is about right as a rule of thumb. Administer the silica as often as you do your other nutrient solutions or less as underfeeding should not have any adverse effects.
With hydroponics, mix silica separately in a solution at around 100ppm and bring it up to the correct pH level before gradually adding it to the main nutrient solution.
Don’t overdo it! Stop using silica once your plant starts flowering as this is where all the benefits are lost.
In conclusion, if used appropriately and in moderation, silica will give you robust plants with greater harvests and stronger buds. So go forth and grow some dope buds!