Maximum Yield Cannabis Canada 2017 July/August | Page 42

cycl
nutrient solution strength
HOW TO
OPTIMIZE
by Josh Gerovac
NUTRIENT SOLUTION STRENGTH
Accurately measuring the concentration of the nutrient solution being applied to your crops
is critical for optimizing yields, but don’t forget to factor in environmental variables as these
will also affect nutrient uptake. Fluence Bioengineering’s Josh Gerovac explains.
L
ight is the major environmental
variable that drives photosynthesis in
plants. However, if temperature, relative
humidity, CO 2 concentration, mineral
nutrients, or media moisture levels are
outside of the optimal range for the plant
species you are growing, photosynthesis
(and subsequent plant growth) will be
limited. There is a principal of limiting
factors that must be considered when
cultivating plants, and understanding
how to properly measure and control
each variable is critical to the success
of any controlled environment plant
growth facility. Therefore, taking a holistic
approach to managing environmental
variables is recommended to optimize
growing conditions in a controlled
environment. Measuring and adjusting the
strength of your nutrient solution will be
the main topic of this article, but we will
also discuss how environmental variables
will impact water and nutrient uptake.
42
grow cycle
EC VS. TDS METERS
It goes without saying that providing
adequate mineral nutrients to your root
zone is critical to produce high yielding
crops. Nutrient deficiencies or toxicities
are a problem that most growers have
dealt with at least once, and these
nutrient imbalances can significantly
impact the yield and quality of a crop.
Optimizing the strength of your nutrient
solution based on the stage of crop
growth and your environment is an
important step to avoid nutrient problems.
There are two critical steps you can
implement to optimize the strength of
the nutrient solution. The first step is to
accurately measure the concentration
of the nutrient solution being applied to
your crops, and the second is to monitor
the amount of soluble salts present in
your root zone. Most fertilizers used for
cultivation are composed of mineral