With legalization falling into place around the world, the cannabis industry is changing rapidly. Countless exciting start-ups have joined this burgeoning market to create socially responsible brands that now support the once gray underground economy. With them, we see the rise of well-informed cannabis consumers: people who know what they consume and how it impacts their health and the environment. They’re demanding better, more environmentally friendly products.
Embracing Plant-Based Proteins in Your Nutrients
Recent studies have uncovered the origins of high soil fertility. In the wild, plants die and decompose where they once sprouted and grew. After soil microbial life breaks plant tissues down into bioavailable compounds, the compounds feed the next generation of plants, which feeds the next.
Animal-based proteins (usually bovine) are often used in bloom boosters and other cannabis-specific nutrients, if they contain any proteins at all. But animal-based proteins are not an ideal match for the vegetable protein profiles of plants. More importantly, these proteins may hold residue from the antibiotics, growth stimulants and chemicals fed to farm animals.
Vegetable-based proteins are superior and far more suitable for your crops because they more closely match your garden’s protein profiles. They precisely mirror the protein profiles of the high-value crops you grow. A sustainable, vegetable-based source of protein can aid floral development and assist chelation for better nutrient uptake. Vegetable-based proteins are better quality than animal-based proteins and are also more environmentally friendly to produce and use in commercial cannabis facilities. High-quality sources of vegetable protein include soy, grains, lentils, nuts and seeds such as hemp and chia.
Hemp is one of the best plant-based protein sources. Rich in albumin and edestin, hemp seeds contain high-quality plant protein, branched-chain amino acids with all 20 essential amino acids, both essential and non-essential. In other words, hemp-based proteins are a perfect match for your garden!
Look for the L
L-amino acid that is. Feeding is an active process for plants. They expend energy while accumulating essential elements. And the job of finding readily absorbable nutrients is the hardest. L-amino acids promote nutrient absorption and bring a host of other plant benefits. For example, they provide essential nutrients for plant growth, including nitrogen. The amino acids L-Glycine and L-Glutamine mediate photosynthesis, metabolites for chlorophyll concentration, synthesis and tissue formation. L-aminos also help combat plant stress, increase root mass, trigger natural defense mechanisms and stimulate metabolic activity.
L-aminos are natural chelators that help plants absorb the amount of nutrients required to produce substantial yields. Chelation of micronutrients saves the plants energy and drives them to grow faster and more prolifically. Look for nutrients that offer L-amino acids and a range of chelating agents along with high-quality plant-based proteins.
Other Essential Nutrients for Robust Plant Growth
Whether you’re growing cannabis or roses, your plants have need-specific nutrients to grow, flower and be healthy. The three main nutrients are nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K).
Nitrogen helps build the physical structure of plants and assists in cell division. Phosphorus aids photosynthesis and thus encourages blooming, root formation and water absorption. Potassium creates long, sturdy plant structures, regulates the stomata, and increases hardiness. Stored potassium and phosphorous are used to develop extra floral structures and tissues; they also stimulate extra cytokinins to further boost floral production throughout blooming. A powerful bloom booster creates extra reserves of potassium and phosphorus that directly feed production of essential oils and flavoring compounds when your buds swell and ripen.
Knowledge Is Key
Commercial cannabis companies should know what tools they have and when, where and how to use them. Staying current with cutting-edge technologies in the cannabis industry gives cultivators the deep knowledge that will benefit their customers and their business.
Most commercial cannabis growers only realize a fraction of their potential because they aren’t doing everything they can to increase their yields. The faster you learn about leading-edge products designed to create bigger, heavier blossoms, stimulate growth, and increase yields, the more likely it is you will enjoy better harvests, happier customers and bigger profits. If you’re reading and learning from Cannabis Business Times, you’re off to a great start!
