[00:00] From the plant's perspective, a nutrient is a nutrient. A cannabis root absorbs nitrogen in the form of a nitrate or ammonium ion, whether that came from fish emulsion or lab made salt. In fact, a common saying is that plants don't know the difference between organic and inorganic sources once nutrients are in their available ion form. Welcome to Organic versus Synthetic: The Great Debate.
[00:29] Synthetic nutrients capitalize on this by providing immediately available forms of the essential elements. The moment you feed your plant with a hydroponic solution, those nitrate, phosphate and potassium ions are ready for use and uptake. This leads to rapid growth and allows growers to correct deficiencies quickly. For example, if a plant shows magnesium deficiency, adding a magnesium supplement like Epsom salt can green up the leaves within a couple of days.
[00:56] Organic nutrients on the other hand, often need to be broken down by soil organisms before the plant can use them. They're typically slow release by nature. If you mix bone meal into your soil for phosphorus, it may take weeks to become available as phosphates for the roots. The upside is the slow release is a natural buffer. It's harder to severely overfeed and burn your plants with organic fertilizers because they don't dump all their nutrients at once.
[01:24] The downside is when a plant is hungry and showing a clear deficiency, an organic grower can't simply dump a quick fix in without risking upsetting the soil balance. They might apply a targeted organic liquid fertilizer like a fish or seaweed extract to help, but generally patience is required. It's a bit like cooking low and slow versus a quick microwave meal.
[01:48] Another aspect of plant nutrition is pH and nutrient availability. In a hydroponic or soilless setup, maintaining the correct pH of the nutrient solution is critical. Cannabis roots and hydro systems typically prefer a slightly acidic environment anywhere from 5.5 to 6.5 pH. If the pH strays out of range, certain nutrients lock out, meaning the plant can't absorb them. That's why synthetic growers are often seen diligently adjusting the pH and checking it daily.
[02:19] They also monitor EC or the parts per million of their solution to ensure the nutrient strength is on target, not too weak and not over concentrated.
[02:29] In a soil based organic grow, the soil life and organic matter help buffer the pH swings. The optimal root zone pH in soil is around 6.0 to 7.0, and a healthy soil tends to stay in that range. Many organic growers find they rarely need to adjust the pH of their water — microbes in the soil and components do that for them. However, this assumes the soil is well constructed. If the soil's pH is off to begin with or the water is extremely hard or acidic, even organic grows might need some pH tweaking.
[03:03] Generally speaking, organic methods reduce the number of chemistry set adjustments you need to make, which some growers find convenient.
[03:11] In summary, synthetic nutrients offer immediate gratification and exacting control when feeding your plants. Whereas organic methods trade speed for a more naturally buffered, gradual feeding process. The plant ultimately gets what it needs in both cases. The difference lies in how those nutrients travel from the source to the plant and what happens in the soil or the substrate along the way.
[03:35] Thanks again for watching. Don't forget to like, subscribe and turn on notifications and follow along with this series.
