Last Updated on January, 2024 by Rob Wilson
Growing marijuana is something that people have been doing for thousands of years. However, over time our understanding of weed as well as how to grow it has improved significantly. We now know what are the perfect conditions under which marijuana plants can grow to their best potential and how to create those conditions. Apart from the normal light, water and air, plants also require a lot of nutrients which help them grow better. Many of these nutrients are already present in the soil but there are some that you still need to provide additionally. Nutrients help the plants grow better, faster and stronger as well as produce more yields, and hence they are quite important. Over the course of this article, we shall be taking a detailed look and reviewing some of the best nutrients for weed growers.
We will begin with giving a basic look at what nutrients are and why plants require them. Followed by that, we will deep-dive right into the main topic at hand, which is – which are the 7 best nutrients for cannabis. Post that, we shall be taking a look at some of the most frequently asked questions about fertilizers for cannabis and then conclude! By the time you finish reading this article, you will be able to make a better and well-informed choice about buying the best nutrients for weed.
What are Nutrients and why do Plants Need Them?
Nutrients are elements that exist in the soil which are beneficial for the growth of the plants. The most basic three elements are Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium while there are a number of other nutrients that the plants need, these are three that it just can’t do without and any additional nutrient that you buy will always come with an NPK reading, giving you an exact idea as to what the composition of the additive is.
Nutrients are as important to the marijuana plant as food is to humans. They help you sustain, they help you gain energy and they help you grow stronger and better. Nutrients do the same with plants. The best weed fertilizers are those which ensure that the plant is growing bigger and stronger while offering higher yields too. Nutrients also help the plants with some other aspects such as ensuring that the flowers are blooming properly and on time.
Weed fertilizers also help the buds and flowers gain a better aroma and taste as well. The kind of nutrients you’re putting in your cannabis plant will also determine the ‘high’ that you get when you smoke it up in the end. There are a number of reasons as to why plants need them and we shall be discussing them in detail as we proceed with the article. Let us now look at the 7 best weed fertilizers available off the internet right now!
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7 Best Nutrients for Growing Weed in 2024
1. Fox Farm Liquid Nutrient Trio Soil Formula: Big Bloom, Grow Big, Tiger Bloom
Fox Farm is among the leading names when it comes to the world of plant fertilizers. Weed growers know this to be one of the most trusted brands in the markets and have been buying its products for a really long time now. This is a set of three weed fertilizers from Fox Farm – Big Bloom, Grow Big and Tiger Bloom. Getting a set of fertilizers is always better than going for different fertilizers for different phases of growth because here you are sorted for quite a long period of growth all at once. These are three bottles of 32oz each (roughly equal to 1 liter). There are three liquid nutrients here and here’s how and when to use each of them:
- Grow Big Hydro: A good choice for growers who want to provide a boost to their marijuana plant during the vegetative phase. This will help the plant gain more leaves and get greener in the early stages of growth.
- Tiger Bloom: This is to be used during the budding and the flowering stage, and will help the plant get better flowers and buds that taste and smell better.
- Big Bloom: This is a nutrient essential for healing the root systems of the marijuana plant as well as for its overall growth and development. Big Bloom is a nutrient which can be provided at all the phases of the plant’s growth cycle.
Hence, using a proper combination of these three nutrients is going to give your marijuana plants a much needed boost in their growth cycle, giving them a higher yield as well as a healthy growth.
- Solutions for all stages of the plant’s growth
- Not too expensive
- Helps provide big buds
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- They don’t provide proper instructions on how to use it
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2. General Hydroponics Flora Grow, Bloom, Micro Combo Fertilizer set
General Hydroponics is another of the most trusted names for those who are looking forward to buying the best nutrients for cannabis. The company has been coming out with nutrients for quite a long time now and this is a set of three nutrients from them, which offer a solution for the vegetative stage as well as the flowering stage of the plant’s growth cycle, as well as a third option which can be provided at all times. This is one of the best packages for those looking forward to providing proper nourishment to their marijuana plants at all times. There are three bottles of 1 gallon each (1 gallon is roughly equal to 3.7 liters). Here are the details on all that you are getting:
- FloraGro (NPK 2-1-6): This is the nutrient that you provide to your plants during the growth (vegetative) stage, which ensures that the early stages of growth go smoothly and that the plants are green and leafy. This is high on Potassium and low on Nitrogen and Phosphorus.
- FloraBloom (NPK 0-5-4): This is the nutrient that is provided to the plants during the bloom stage, as indicated by the name! This ensures that the flowers grow properly and have a good taste and aroma to them. This is high on Phosphorus and Potassium but contains no Nitrogen.
- FloraMicro (NPK 5-0-1): A nutrient that can be provided at all the times in the plant’s growth cycle, FloraMicro contains high amounts of Nitrogen, low amounts of Potassium, and no Phosphorus.
- Three nutrients for different phases of the plant’s growth cycle
- Gives you a detailed NPK breakdown on each nutrient
- Improves flavour, nutrition as well as aroma of the plants
- Easy to use
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- Some users have complained of broken seals on the bottles
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3. General Hydroponics GH5100 General Organics Go Box GH
Another product from General Hydroponics, and a complete box set, which provides the growers with not only two main nutrients, but also six small sample bottles, each of which are great for the growth of the plant. In this package, you get a total of eight bottles – the two major ones being BioThrive Grow and BioThrive Bloom, which are 16 oz bottles (16 oz is equivalent to 0.47 liters), while there are 8 oz sample bottles of a number of other GH nutrients such as CaMg+, BioRoot, BioWeed, BioBud, BioMarine and Clamond Black. Each of these nutrients have their own benefits and help you grow your marijuana plant in a better manner.
The primary products here are the ones that one must focus on – which are the BioThrive Grow and Bloom. As the name suggests, the former is to be used during the time that the marijuana plant is in its vegetative stage of growth and the latter is used once the buds and flowers start appearing. The first one helps the plants grow better leaves and stems and makes it greener while the second one adds more colours to it by ensuring that the flowers are blooming well and that the plant remains healthy. Other sample nutrient bottles, too, can be added depending on which stage of growth you are at. This is indeed one of the best fertilizers for weed and a great option for growers!
- Not so expensive
- Safe to be consumed while smoking the weed
- Provides a number of sample bottles too
- Works for soil-based plants as well as for other mediums such as coco coir
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- Lack of certification has been something that users have pointed out but overall performance is pretty good
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4. Element Flower Fuel Plant Fertilizer
While we have seen some options above which provide solutions for all phases of the plant’s development, this one is specifically for the bloom phase, where the buds and flowers start to show up. This comes at an NPK ratio of 1-34-42, and in a 1kg (35.3oz) packaging. The manufacturer of the Element Flower Fuel plant fertilizer claims it to be a ‘super premium’ bloom booster and based on those who have used it, this is indeed a great product for the bloom phase. This is made using a mixture of nutrients, vitamins, hormones, amino acids, essential organic components, as well as a large number of trace nutrients and micronutrients that are necessary for a good bloom.
One of the biggest benefits of using this and what truly makes it among the best weed fertilizers is that it can be used in soil-based setups, non-soil setups like coco coirs, and even in hydroponic as well as aeroponic systems. 1 kg of this fertilizer can be used with 800 gallons of water which can really last you a long time! Using this would ensure that the harvest you’ll be getting at the end of the growth process will be rich in essential oil and resin content!
- Works in any kind of a growth system regardless of the medium
- Great for bloom phase and helps flowers grow better
- Helps ensure that the end harvest is rich in essential oils
- Treats 800 gallons of water
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- Lacks in Nitrogen and Calcium and hence not useful in the vegetative stages
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5. Technaflora GL56726740 Recipe for Success Starter Plant-Germination-Kits, Natural
This is a complete starter kit from Technaflora and ensures that growers can get the maximum possible output out of the plants that they are growing. This is one of the best fertilizers for weed and a complete kit for the growers, making things easier for them. In the package, you get three major bottles which are focusing on the growth and the bloom stage while the other supplements just add on to the overall growth of the plant regardless of the stage of growth it is in. For those wondering what is it that they get when they purchase this package from Technflora, they get this combination of products: B. C Bloom, B. C Boost, B. C Grow, Thrive Alive B-1 Red, Thrive Alive B-1 Green, Awesome Blossoms, Rootech Cloning Gel, MagiCal, Sugar Daddy, Root 66. The first three here are the three primary bottles.
- BC Grow is to be provided to marijuana plants during their growth phase and will help the plants grow greener and leafier.
- BC Bloom is to be provided to the plants during the bloom phase, as evident by the name and this will help the plants produce better flowers.
- The third is BC Boost, which can be provided at all times and ensures that the overall growth remains good strong.
All in all, this is a set of one of the best nutrients and best fertilizer for cannabis which will ensure that the plant grows well and produces high yields.
- A complete package – it has got everything that you would need at all phases of growth
- Great for beginners as well as advanced growers
- Comes with a mixing chart so that growers know exactly what and how much to provide to plants
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- Some users have complained of leaks
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6. Maxicrop MCSP10.7OZ 1025 Soluble Powder, 10.7-Ounce Hydroponic Nutrients, White
Maxicorp’s soluble powder nutrient comes in a 10.7 ounce package (roughly 0.3 kg) and is made of pure seaweed extract which helps stimulate the plants’ cell growth and also ensures that the roots are growing well. This is a completely natural product and is hence extremely safe to use. This powder is made out of premium seaweed which has been reaped off the coast of Norway! This is a nutrition component that is great for the growth of the marijuana plant.
In addition to this, one of the best things about this product is that it mixes really well with other fertilizers easily, making it one of the best nutrients for weed. The NPK composition here is 0-0-17, containing only Potassium. This can even be used in hydroponic systems and is often used while mixed with Azomite to get the best results. All in all, one of the best fertilizers for marijuana for those looking forward to getting a better and healthier harvest.
- All-natural and safe to use
- Helps the stem and roots grow stronger
- Can be easily mixed along with other fertilizers
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- Doesn’t suit foliar applications really well
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7. Grow More Hawaiian Bud Plant Fertilizer
This is a 1.5 pound (0.68kg) container of Hawaiian bud plant fertilizer, which is best suited for hydroponic setups and needs to be provided during the bloom phase. This is a nutrient which helps the buds grow well This is basically described by the manufacturer as a ‘Water soluble urea-free concentrate with humic acid’ which is great for hydroponic setups. The manufacturer also claims that the product can be used for both, fertigation and foliar applications. The exact NPK breakdown here is 5-50-17, and the entire container can treat about 300 gallons of water.
- Great for hydroponic plants
- Useful for producing bigger flowers
- Humic acid makes it even better for water-based growth
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- Cannabis plants don’t react so well to Boron, which is present in this mix
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Frequently Asked Questions
1. Can you grow weed without nutrients?
The answer to this question is Yes, you can. However, if the question were ‘can you grow good quality weed without nutrients’, then the answer would perhaps have been different as growers need to know that there’s more to weed than just growing it. You’ve got to nurture it properly and this nourishment will be provided by the nutrients. Adding the right nutrients to your cannabis plant will help ensure that you are getting a good and healthy plant along with a good smell, a good taste and even a good ‘high’ when you smoke it. Hence, plants that grow without nutrients won’t just be the right kind of plants for stoners to enjoy. Also, there’s a chance that they’ll be lacking in some aspect and might perish mid-growth too. It is very important for growers to ensure that the right nutrients are being provided at the right time.
2. Is it legal to buy nutrients?
Yes, it is completely legal to buy nutrients – because almost all plants (and particularly those which produce flowers and fruits) require nutrients to grow. Buying nutrients is never illegal, but growing a marijuana plant might be illegal depending on where you are living. Always make sure you are checking with your local law enforcement and know all the marijuana related laws before you start growing weed. However, as far as nutrients are concerned, you might be buying them to grow practically any plant – so there’s no legal risk involved in buying them.
3. Which is the best weed fertilizer available in the markets?
This is a very subjective question and growers will need to decide this for themselves depending upon the need of the plant and which stage it is in, etc. There are different fertilizers and nutrients for different stages of the plant’s growth cycle and it is always considered a good practice to get a set of nutrients where you can provide them during all stages of growth. Depending on what your plants need, what kind of a growth setup you are using, and whether you want organic nutrients, you should then choose which is the best weed fertilizer for your plants!
4. When do you know you’ve provided too much of nutrients?
While providing lesser amount of nutrients or no nutrients will make your plants malnourished, providing an excess amount of nutrients is also detrimental to the growth of your plants because that would lead to some problems such as ‘burning out’ where you would see that your plants are starting to curl from the tips and there’s discoloration or bright spots appearing on the leaves. This might also lead to a pungent aroma coming from the plants or the taste being a little too strong for the preference of the stoners.
5. What is flushing?
Flushing is a standard process followed by growers a week or so before they are ready to harvest. In flushing, regular water (free of all nutrients) is provided to the plants to ensure that all the excess nutrients are drained out of the soil and out of their body. Flushing is important because sometimes excess nutrients can cause damage to the plants as well as to the people consuming them – and hence a final cleanup is required before you harvest your plants. Sometimes, if nutrients build up in the soil, they actually block the passage and new nutrients cannot pass through into the plants. Hence, these nutrients also need to be flushed out to ensure the plant is getting regular and proper nourishment.
Conclusion
We hope that this article on the best nutrients and fertilizers for growing weed helped you gain a better insight on everything that you need to know before you make a purchase! We have personally reviewed 7 of the best weed fertilizers so that you know what you are getting before you buy it! Do let us know in the comments below if there’s something more that you would like to know or if there’s something that we might have missed out on.
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