What is a substrate?
A substrate is a medium in which roots of plants can grow and which enables the plant to stand up.
Why do I have to use a different nutrient for both the growing period and for the flowering period?
a. The plant needs different proportions of nutrient elements in these different stages of development.
b. The plants acidifies the root environment when it starts to flower. This means the root environment needs different elements.
The exception is CANNA COCO. Due to the fact that coco medium has different characteristics than other media, there is one unique formulation for the entire cycle
How do I know when to start giving my plant the flowering nutrient?
As soon as the first signs of flowers appear.
Why do nutrients have an A & B version?
A & B together contain all the nutritional elements a plant needs. They are separated into a bottle of A and one of B to make both solutions as concentrated as possible. A and B together are 1 nutrient, you can't use one without the other. Always use A and B in equal amounts.
Why are A & B not available in 1 bottle?
If A & B would be together in one bottle much more volume would be needed to dissolve the nutrients. Never mix concentrated A and B together since insoluble nutrients will be formed.
What is the biggest difference between chemical nutrients and ORGANIC nutrients?
The biggest difference is their origin, which is the reason why the organic nutrients can be used for organic growing.
- Organic nutrients are released slowly.
- Mineral fertilizers are available from the start.
I want to try CANNA products can you please send me some samples?
We do not have samples of our products. The smallest size of bottles we have is 0.25 liters. We don't deliver to private individuals. Please contact one of our dealers.
What is the importance of pH measuring?
pH has a great influence on the availability of the different nutrient elements. Therefore be sure the pH is always in the right range. The best availability range in the substrate is from 5.2- up to 6.2.
But CANNA recommends a different range for each type of substrate:
CANNA TERRA | 5.8 – 6.2 |
CANNA COCO | 5.5 – 6.2 |
Others | 5.2 – 6.2 |
What is EC?
EC means electrical conductivity. EC is a number presenting the total of dissolved salts in the water. They include salts originating from the water and salts that the nutrients added.
On your website/label you advice to use PK 13/14 one week while a shop recommended me to use it more weeks?
We recommend to use PK 13/14 always for one week when you use CANNA nutrients. The CANNA base nutrients already contain sufficient P and K during the rest of the cycle. There is a certain period during the flowering stage though, when we can't increase the feed for the plant any more, so we adjust the PK-ratio by adding PK 13/14 for that one week.
What different kind of substrates are there to use for growing?
There are many different substrates and growing methods, which roughly can be classified into 4 groups. CANNA sells different nutrients specifically developed for these different substrates or methods. The four groups are CANNA TERRA (pre-fertilzed soil and soilless media), CANNA COCO (coco substrates) and for inert substrates CANNA SUBSTRA (run-to-waste) and CANNA AQUA (for recirculating systems).
I'm using a re-circulating system. Should I use SUBSTRA or AQUA?
Both nutrients are developed for inert media such as rockwool, clay pebbles and many others. CANNA specially developed CANNA AQUA to work in recirculating systems with these inert media. CANNA SUBSTRA should be used when using a run-to-waste system in inert media.
Soak rock wool before use
Never use raw rockwool! The pH is too high. Always soak rockwool before using it for the 1st time. Soak with water or a nutrient mixture with the pH adjusted to 5.5 and an EC of about 1.3 mS/cm.
Temperature & pH
To ensure good root development the feeding water must be between 68 – 72°F. When it's below 59°F the roots’ capacity to absorb decreases quickly, which results in a smaller harvest.
Should I use 1 or 2 pumps?
2 pumps can be used to supply the nutrient solution to the plants to ensure that they will not be left dry if 1 of the 2 should malfunction.
Air and pH
If there are air pumps in the nutrient reservoir, remember that these tend to raise the pH in the nutrient reservoir, so they are generally not recommended unless your system truly needs it, like Deep Water Culture cultivation.
Check root growth to prevent blockage
Watch the roots closely. Otherwise they will grow into the drainage holes. This will block the drains and the system will stop circulating.
More space for larger plants
Do not plant too many plants per square yard; plants will generally become larger on CANNA COCO and will need more space than on e.g. rockwool or potting soil.
Keep your nutrients dark
Light breaks down iron chelates! Because of this, it is very important to ensure that no Ultra Violet light reaches the nutrient solution. Light also causes algae to grow in the nutrient solution, which can lead to blockages. Furthermore, algae can take up nutrient elements and cause nutrient deficiencies to occur.
Keep slabs horizontal
Make sure rockwool slabs are horizontal. If they are not truly horizontal the moisture will run to one end of the slab. This could mean that some plants become too dry and others too wet.
Amounts of nutrients
Keep a record of the amounts of nutrients and additives you add to each tank of nutrients you mix. You then have a good starting point for the next time!
Measuring EC/ppm
Don’t just measure the EC/ppm of the feed water and the drainage water regularly, remember to measure the EC/ppm of the substrate too.
Adjusting your nutrient tank
Take your time diluting and adjusting your nutrient tank! This is essential for the growth, flowering and development of the plants and will yield the best results.
EC/ppm
Very high EC/ppm values increase the chance of plant burn, particularly for plants that are close to the light source. In order to reduce the risk of nutrient burn, follow along our recommended feed schedules and adjust as needed for your conditions.
When do I switch from Vega to Flores nutrients?
Change from CANNA Terra Vega to CANNA Terra Flores when the flowers begin to develop. Usually this will be after the plants have been lit for 12 hours per day, for between 1 and 3 weeks.
CANNA COGr Boards
When cultivating in plant trays with a sealable drainage system, it is easier to begin by making the drainage incisions, then turning over the COGr and filling the plant container with the buffering solution.
Adjusting pH
The products designed to adjust the pH are concentrated products. It is sometimes difficult to adjust the pH correctly in one go. To make life easier for yourself, dilute one part pH adjuster with ten parts water and use this to adjust the pH in your nutrient tank.
Mixing nutrients
Check and adjust the nutrient reservoir as follows: Take a reading of the EC/ppm and pH of the nutrient solution and then determine whether there needs to be adjustments. Use the EC/ppm reading to determine if your concentration needs to be higher or lower, based on the values shown in our grow guide. Use the pH value to determine if an adjustment is needed and if so, try to correct the pH value at the first attempt!
CANNAZYM and grow mediums
CANNAZYM extends the life-span of Clay Pebbles, coco, and other growing mediums because it breaks down dead roots. It can be used to re-use coco medium.
Rinse the clay pebbles
Clay pebbles can have a high salt content. By rinsing the pebbles with water, these harmful salts can be washed away. An additional advantage of this is that dust particles are also rinsed off and these may have caused blockages.