When we think of nutrients required by cannabis plants, we often think of calcium, magnesium, and potassium. However, cannabis plants also require nitrogen to grow successfully. This vital nutrient is just one of many needed to produce high yielding, high quality crops.
Nitrogen is one of the most abundantly found elements in the world. According to Britannica, “About four-fifths of Earth’s atmosphere is nitrogen, which was isolated and recognized as a specific substance during early investigations of the air.”
Nitrogen is also an essential nutrient plants require to grow, including cannabis. However, it does need to be supplied regularly to keep your cannabis crop healthy and happy. According to Utah State Extension, “Nitrogen is highly soluble and easily washed from soils and therefore must be replaced regularly, especially during vegetative plant growth.”
What does nitrogen have to do with cannabis cultivation? It’s a valid thing to wonder. After all, nitrogen is typically something that occurs naturally in the air and the soil. However, it is one of the main nutrients required by cannabis plants.
According to Koch, “Nitrogen is also a component of the chlorophyll molecule, which enables the plant to capture sunlight energy by photosynthesis, driving plant growth”. This means that when a plant does not get enough nitrogen in its feeding regime, it cannot produce the energy it needs to grow and produce a healthy or weighty harvest.
When a cannabis plant has a nitrogen deficiency, it becomes vulnerable to pests, viruses, viroids, molds, and other harmful factors. Without nitrogen, cannabis plants cannot produce energy, leaving them vulnerable. This vulnerability can lead to a cascade of other problems that result in harvest yield reduction and in some cases even the death of the plant.
In a 2020 research article published by Frontiers in Plant Science, researchers noted growth retardation in cannabis plants with a low nitrogen supply. According to their findings, “the morpho-physiological function under long photoperiod in medical cannabis is optimal at 160 mgL−1 N supply, and significantly lower under 30 mgL−1 N, with visual deficiency symptoms, and 75 and 25% reduction in plant biomass and photosynthesis rate, respectively.”
When a cannabis plant has a nitrogen deficiency, it displays multiple symptoms. In both vegetative and flowering plants, the leaves will lose their luster and begin to turn yellow. As the deficiency progresses, the leaves will begin to drop, creating an ideal environment for pests if left in the pots and on the tables.
In flowering plants, plants with a nitrogen deficiency will flower prematurely. However, the overall crop will produce a low yield. This unnecessary stress on your impacted cannabis crop can lead to herming (the process by which female cannabis plants develop male attributes). If left untreated, the pollen sacs on the hermed plants will spread to previously unaffected plants, escalating the problem.
Nitrogen deficiencies can be combated by adding more nitrogen to the soil or soil alternative. Depending on how the plants are being fed, the nutrient line being fed to the plants can be adjusted to include more nitrogen. However, for live soil and similar options, fertilizer or other naturally nitrogen-rich compost items may be an option.
Ready to keep expanding your knowledge about cannabis? Then look no further than Verne Bio’s Knowledge Center. Our selection of articles can help anyone learn about everything from pathogens to cultivation tips and tricks. And the best part is it only keeps on growing! (Pun absolutely intended.)
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Works Cited
Extension Utah Pests. “Nutrient Deficiencies | USU.” USU Extension Services, N/A, https://extension.usu.edu/pests/ipm/notes_ag/hemp-nutrient-deficiencies. Accessed 7 November 2023.
Koch Agronomic Services. “The Role of Nitrogen in Crop Production and How to Protect It.” Koch Agronomic Services, N/A, https://kochagronomicservices.com/knowledge-center/The-Role-of-Nitrogen-in-Crop-Production-and-How-to-Protect-It_2288.aspx. Accessed 6 November 2023.
Loud Clouds. “Cannabis Nutrients and Deficiencies.” Cannabis Nutrients and Deficiencies, 9 March 2019, https://loudclouds.co/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/marijuana-deficiency-chart-jorge-cervantes.jpg. Accessed 6 November 2023.
Saloner, Avia, et al. “Response of Medical Cannabis (Cannabis sativa L.) to Nitrogen Supply Under Long Photoperiod.” Frontiers, 15 September 2020, https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpls.2020.572293/full. Accessed 7 November 2023.
Sanderson, Thomas. “Nitrogen | Definition, Symbol, Uses, Properties, Atomic Number, & Facts.” Britannica, 2 November 2023, https://www.britannica.com/science/nitrogen. Accessed 6 November 2023.
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