Month: March 2022

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3 Simple Supplements to Enhance the Smell and Taste of Cannabis

There is no greater shame than harvesting a beautiful crop, only to have it dried, stale and tasteless, soft, squishy, and smelling of hay. The look of growers during this revelation is daunting. Some may be indifferent about the result, saying, “oh, well, it’s not that bad”, while others’ disappointment can only be measured by the critical scowl following the ol’ squeeze and sniff technique. While environmental issues are largely responsible for the texture and rigidity of cannabis flowers, there are several supplements that growers can rely on to provide them with sugar-coated buds, teaming with overpowering and pungent aromas. Below, we’ll discuss common terpene and flavonoid compounds, followed by three simple ways to enhance the smell and taste of your crop.

Why Do Cannabis Plants Smell?

Cannabis plants encompass some of the world’s most interesting and complex aromas. But makes cannabis plants smell? Well, here’s the answer: cannabis flowers’ unique flavours and aromas are governed by a combination of special hydrocarbons called terpenes. Existing in over 30,000 forms, terpenes are responsible for determining the unique aroma and taste of a variety of flora including, lavender, rosemary, basil, and of course, cannabis. 

A wide spectrum of terpenes can be found throughout the industry’s most popular genetics. However, much like naturally occurring fruit and flowers in our environment, terpenes can do more than just produce pleasant smells – they can also perpetuate feelings of well-being, promote energy, or induce relaxation and meditation.

Examples of some Cannabis Terpenes profiles

Learn more about these Common Terpene Profiles in Cannabis Flower

Common Terpene Profiles in Cannabis

Terpinolene

Sweet and sharp with piney floral notes.

Caryophyllene

Warm aromas like pepper, cloves and woody spices.

Pinene 

Fresh aromatic scents like pine needles and dill.

Ocimene

icy, sugar-like smells found in basil and mint.

Myrcene  

Musky notes of peat, leather, oak and earth. 

Enhance the Smell and Taste of Cannabis with 3 Simple Supplements 

The majority of cannabis terpenes, flavonoids, and cannabinoids are held within the trichomes heads of marijuana flowers. So, if you’re looking to enhance the smell and taste of your cannabis plants, start by increasing the size and density of your trichomes. Below are three supplements from GreenPlanet Nutrients that can be included alongside any base nutrient program to enhance the smell and taste of cannabis.

Rezin

Bring fire to your crop with GreenPlanet’s trichome, flavour, and aroma enhancer. Formulated with trace amounts of molybdenum and vitamin B1, Rezin can be used in both the flowering and flushing periods of growth to boost essential oil, trichome, and resin content. Rezin contains no plant growth regulators (PGR’s), artificial colouring, or dyes. And, since it contains only a trace amount of a single micronutrient, Rezin will not impact the EC/PPM of your nutrient solution. Rezin will help promote aromas and flavours to bring out the best qualities of your plants in both the late-stage and flushing period.

Root Builder 

Root Builder is GreenPlanet’s microbial supplement that promotes root growth, nutrient uptake, and enhances trichome size and density. Formulated with two sources of bacteria, Bacillus Licheniformis and Bacillus Subtilis, Root Builder can quickly increase microbial activity in the root zone, allowing for increased uptake, yield, and trichome formulation. Experts agree that adding a source of microbes to the root zone can be extremely beneficial. For example, in an article published in Industrial Crops and Products (2018), the authors argue that supplying industrial cannabis with a source of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) can drastically increase the size and availability of trichomes (Pagnani et al, p. 75). 

Liquid Weight

Plants use an amazing amount of energy converting fertilizer into energy. They also rely on microbes, or beneficial bacteria to speed up the processes of elemental conversion. These bacteria feed on an array of sugary carbohydrates to maintain colonies of microbes in all stages of plant growth, but especially during the later stages of flower. So, for a consistent supply of carbohydrates, try GreenPlanet’s Liquid Weight. It’s designed to increase and maintain microbial colonies, which aids in crop progression, flower formation, trichome expression, and nutrient and fluid uptake. If you’re looking to get the most out of your garden, Liquid Weight is the perfect supplement. 

Remember, to enhance the smell and taste of cannabis, grow trichomes, not flowers! For more information on the products or information mentioned in this article, contact your GreenPlanet representative directly, or your local garden supply store. 

Work Cited

  • Pagnani, G. (2018). Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) in Cannabis sativa ‘Finola’ cultivation: An alternative fertilization strategy to improve plant growth and quality characteristics. Industrial Crops and Products. Retrieved November 9th, 2021 from ResearchGate.net

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Fix 5 Common Nutrient Deficiencies with GreenPlanet Nutrients Pro Cal

N-P-K is an acronym for the most readily available macronutrients found in plant food. These important elements, nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K), are the building blocks of plant nutrition and are an essential part of a plant’s diet throughout the periods of vegetative and flowering growth. However, there are another 7 elements called micronutrients that are also essential for plant health. Without access to essential elements, crops can exhibit deficiencies such as yellowing, purple, or bronze discoloration, spotting, interveinal chlorosis and slow, or stunted growth. Lucky for us, GreenPlanet’s Pro Cal is loaded with several sources of primary, secondary, and micronutrients to ensure your plants stay healthy and happy in all stages of growth. If you’re interested in what Pro Cal can do for your garden, read the following passages to learn how to fix 5 common nutrient deficiencies with GreenPlanet’s premier micronutrient supplement.  

What is Pro Cal?

Pro Cal is GreenPlanet’s supplemental source of essential elements that plants require at all stages of growth. Pro Cal’s formula provides readily available calcium and magnesium, as well as iron, nitrogen, boron, and zinc. This formula ensures your plants do not come up short when they are ready for rapid growth. Plants undergo a large amount of stress in their goal to build cell walls, produce chlorophyll, conduct photosynthesis, and perform other key plant functions. Pro Cal helps plants with this workload by providing access to a variety of clean, quality-assured elements.

Fix 5 Common Nutrient Deficiencies with Pro Cal

1. Nitrogen Deficiency

Access to a rich and abundant source of nitrogen is extremely important. Symptoms of nitrogen deficiency in crops are as follows: light green growth, yellowing, general discoloration, and brown spotting. Nitrogen is needed by plants to promote rapid growth, especially for fruit and flower development. Also, nitrogen increases leaf size and hastens photosynthesis during the vegetative stage. If plants do not receive adequate nitrogen, crops can become spindly and wilted, new leaves will become smaller and the plant will slowly suffer by withering away into nothing.

Nitrogen deficiency in crops are as follows: light green growth, yellowing, general discoloration.

Pro Cal can help correct nitrogen deficiencies in plants. With an N-P-K of 2-0-0, it’s the perfect supplement to add to your existing feeding program. If you start to notice any one of the common symptoms above, just add Pro Cal at the recommended rate (1.25ml/L) until you notice healthy, vigorously growing new shoots and leaves. 

2. Calcium Deficiency

Here are some of the symptoms of a plant with a calcium deficiency: stunted foliage, yellowing edges, and leaf tips that resemble tip burn. In the most serious cases, a calcium deficiency will result in browning leaf tips that slope downwards and become crunchy to the touch. Calcium is a major contributor to the plant’s cell wall and provides structural support to cell walls and leaf development. Also, calcium is needed by plants to produce new growing points and root tips. Without an adequate supply of calcium, plants will quickly suffer by developing one of the common symptoms above.  

Calcium deficiency: stunted foliage, yellowing edges, and leaf tips that resemble tip burn.

Luckily, calcium is a major component in GreenPlanet’s Pro Cal. If you happen to notice the development of a calcium deficiency in your plants, incorporate Pro Cal into your feeding program until your crops are healthy and free of any calcium deficiency.

3. Magnesium Deficiency

Magnesium deficiency symptoms: older leaves with interveinal chlorosis, and yellow and brown spotting. In severe cases, plant growth rate drops, leaf size is reduced, and the lower leaves are shed. Magnesium is a structural component of the chlorophyll molecule. Plants need this important element to produce carbohydrates, sugars, and fats and in the regulation of nutrient absorption. 

Magnesium deficiency leaves have interveinal chlorosis and yellow and brown spotting.

Pro Cal is formulated with a major dose of magnesium. So, if your plants are displaying symptoms of a magnesium deficiency, add Pro Cal to your preexisting nutrient solution at a rate of 1.25ml/L until new, deficiency-free growth appears.

4. Iron Deficiency

A lack of iron can present growers with a variety of problems. Symptoms of an iron deficiency include light green to yellow interveinal chlorosis on newly emerging leaves, dying roots, and in severe cases, reduced leaf size, and dead spots on old growth. Iron is needed by plants for the synthesis of chloroplast proteins and various enzymes. Like a magnesium deficiency, a lack of iron will cause a severe interveinal chlorophyll discoloration – leaves will likely be a light green colour with dark green or black veinal lines. However, an iron deficiency will cause this phenomenon in new growth, not old.

Iron deficiency includes light green to yellow interveinal chlorosis on newly emerging leaves.

Three types of chelated iron are incorporated into GreenPlanet’s Pro Cal: Iron EDTA, Iron EDDHA, and Iron DTPA. These multiple sources ensure that iron can be absorbed at different and varying pH ranges. For example, iron EDTA is held strongly in a solution at a pH of 6.0, while iron DTPA is held in pH ranges above 8.0. So, if you happen to notice even a minor iron deficiency, consider supplying your plants with Pro Cal. This inclusion will provide your crop with not one, but multiple sources of chelated iron.

5. Zinc Deficiency

Zinc is an extremely underrated micronutrient. Plants with a lack of zinc will exhibit symptoms such as light green, pale leaves with aggressive dark veins; and in severe cases, tip burn and bronze or red spotting starting from the tip down will appear. Zinc is important because it unlocks and facilitates the uptake of natural plant growth regulators. Without access to hormones like auxins and gibberellins, plants will quickly exhibit the symptoms above. Also, natural growth patterns will slow, internodal spacing will drastically decrease, and new leaves and shoots will shrink. 

Plants with a lack of zinc will exhibit symptoms such as light green, pale leaves with aggressive dark veins; and in severe cases, tip burn.

To avoid the issues above, chelated zinc EDTA has been included in GreenPlanet’s Pro Cal. It’s extremely important to provide your plant’s access to natural plant hormones during all stages of growth. So, by including Pro Cal in your regular feeding routine, you can guarantee the avoidance of zinc-related deficiencies. 

GreenPlanet Nutrients makes a wide variety of feed programs, additives, and maintenance supplements. To access the products available at GreenPlanet Nutrients, contact a member of the GreenPlanet sales team, or your local garden supply store for product information and purchasing inquiries. 

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