Science and Nutrition

When it comes to measuring nutrient data, 88% of this year’s study participants indicated they measure nutrient pH levels (vs. 89% in 2019’s report). The vast majority of cultivators (84%) aim for nutrient pH levels between 5.5 and 6.4, a slight decrease from 90% in the 2019 report, with nearly half (46%) of those respondents targeting the 6.0 to 6.4 range, compared to 53% in 2019. Of note, approximately one-third of this year’s research participants indicated not measuring the parts per million (ppm) levels of various macronutrients.

In the context of the nutrient challenges mentioned previously (“creating genetic-specific, customized recipes,” “developing all-encompassing/all-purpose recipes,” “diagnosing nutrient imbalances” and “maintaining nutrient balance”), “[knowing] what these levels are would help [growers] know if [they] are providing adequate and not too little or too much of any element,” according to Dr. Brian Whipker, professor of floriculture at North Carolina State University, and contributor to Cannabis Business Times’ “Cultivation Matters” feature series. He adds that growers risk “wasted money” if nutrient levels are higher than needed, and “lost money” due to yield loss if levels are too low.

Of those who measure their nutrient ppm levels, many indicated they target the 51-200 ppm range across all nutrients and stages. Based on participants’ responses, the bulk of growers appear to be using higher-than-recommended phosphorus levels compared to recommendations from NCSU researchers (included in the chart).