Tag Archives: hydroponics

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Common Nutrient Related Disorders In Hydroponic Tomatoes and Ways to Prevent Them.

Common Nutrient Related Disorders In Hydroponic Tomatoes and Ways to Prevent Them.

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Hydroponic tomatoes are a popular crop with unique nutrient requirements. Optimal growth is achieved through appropriate nutrient management and control of the environment. In this blog, we look at common nutrient related disorders found in hydroponic tomatoes, why they happen and what you can do to prevent them. At the end, you’ll find a list of water-soluble fertilizer options from Plant-Prod.

What Are Common Nutrient Related Disorders in Hydroponic Tomatoes

Blossom End Rot

Characterized by the first appearance of light tan, water-soak lesions on the blossom end of fruit. These lesions enlarge, turning black and leathery. The cause is generally attributed to a lack of calcium in the developing fruit. This disorder can still occur when calcium is supplied at adequate levels. Cold temperatures or excessive heat during blossom set, fluctuation in water supply, and excessive ammoniacal nitrogen, potassium or magnesium fertilization can result in calcium unavailable to the plant, increasing the risk of blossom end rot developing. 

Blossom Drop

Yield can be greatly reduced when blossoms abort and drop off the plant instead of setting fruit. A number of nutritional stressors can cause this, including too much nitrogen which can lead to excessive vegetative growth, salt stress caused by high fertigation EC, and infrequent irrigation leading to drought stress.  

Yellowing or Chlorosis of Leaves

 A number of diseases and disorders can first manifest as chlorosis. It is important to notice and take action early to prevent further damage to the plant. Nutritional deficiencies that can cause chlorosis include:

Low nitrogen – appears a general yellowing of entire plant, including old and new growth
Low potassium – appears as bright yellow leaf margins and edges, mostly on old growth leaves
Low magnesium – appears as interveinal yellowing on old growth leaves.

How to Prevent Nutrient Related Disorders and Deficiencies

It is important to understand that specific nutrient requirements for greenhouse tomatoes are related to the developmental stage of the plant and seasonal conditions. It is recommended to breakdown a tomato fertilizer program into three stages:

  • Transplant to 4-6 leaves
  • Normal feed
  • Heavy fruiting

Following these nutritional needs along with the below suggestions will help to prevent nutrient related disorders and deficiencies: 

  1. K:N Ratio Based on growth stage – the ratio between these two macronutrients will steer the plant from vegetative to reproductive growth. As nutritional demands increase with plant age, potassium should be increased. 
  2. Irrigate appropriately – water volume should also be adjusted with plant age, nutrient demand, and environmental conditions to meet the plant’s needs. 
  3. Foliar nutrient testing – a tissue analysis is always recommended to confirm all suspected nutritional problems before taking action.

Fertilizers to Treat Nutrient Deficiencies in Hydroponic Tomatoes

Plantex 4-18-37 Tomato Hydroponic No Dye Water Soluble Fertilizer

Plantex Hydroponic Tomato 4-18-37 water-soluble fertilizer is specially formulated with elevated levels of phosphorus and potassium, making it ideal for promoting tomato fruit production. To ensure a well-rounded nutritional regimen, it should be used alongside a source of calcium and magnesium.

Plant-Prod 6-11-31 Hydroponic Water Soluble Fertilizer

Plant-Prod 6-11-31 is specifically designed for fertilizing vegetables grown in greenhouses using the nutrient film technique (NFT) or any other hydroponic cultivation medium like stone wool. When used as part of a comprehensive fertilization program, it is typically paired with calcium nitrate.

4-18-37 Water Soluble Fertilizer
water-soluble-fertilizer-6-11-31

References and Resources: 

The Problem With Hyperaccumulators: How to tell if you have contaminants in your Cannabis product.

The Problem With Hyperaccumulators: How to tell if you have contaminants in your Cannabis product.

Plants with the capability of accumulating heavy metals above concentrations that would typically cause harm or toxicity in plants are known as hyperaccumulators. Cannabis is a well-known hyperaccumulator with the ability to remove heavy metal contaminants from soils. This characteristic is desirable for soil remediation but troublesome when cannabis is grown for consumption.

If the nutrients you use are contaminated with heavy metals, your buds will be accumulating these heavy metals, exposing those who consume them.

List of some Cannabis Nutrient Heavy Metals
List of some Cannabis Nutrient Heavy Metals

The Problem: Cannabis Is A HyperAccumulator Of Heavy Metal Contaminants

Plants with the capability of accumulating heavy metals above concentrations that would typically cause harm or toxicity in plants are known as hyperaccumulators. Cannabis is a well-known hyperaccumulator with the ability to remove heavy metals contaminants from soils. This characteristic is desirable for soil remediation but troublesome when cannabis is grown for consumption.

If the nutrients you use are contaminated with heavy metals, your buds will be accumulating these heavy metals, exposing those who consume them.

How can you tell if you have heavy metal contaminants in your final cannabis product?

We care about heavy metals just as much as you do

Licensed producers of cannabis are required to test their finished products for heavy metal contaminants. Plant-Prod® is pleased to make heavy metal analysis results available to growers for our Plant-Prod MJ™ water soluble cannabis fertilizers line. When cannabis growers are aware of heavy metal levels in their crop inputs, they can anticipate potential levels within their buds.

Outsourced analysis of Plant-Prod Cannabis Fertilizers’ heavy metal concentrations:

Table of Plant-Prod Cannabis Fertilizers Heavy Metal Concentrations

Links to older blogs or related webpages

Want to learn about improving your cannabis plant productivity? Download our Cannabis Fertilizer Growers Handbook and learn how to get 5X more buds with 80% less fertilizer.

Or learn How To Use Plant-Prod Cannabis Fertilizers With A Two-Part A&B Nutrient System
Plant-Prod is a manufacturer of water soluble cannabis fertilizers. The choice of growers from California to Maine for over 70 years, we formulate with everything from chelated iron, to calcium nitrate and zinc fertilizer in order to help you get bigger buds for your buck. Click here to find a Plant-Prod cannabis fertilizer supplier near you.

Plant-Prod stays ahead of regulatory requirements

We take pride in staying on top of the industry innovations and regulations. We have been updating our labels to comply with the new Hazardous Products Regulations and we are taking part in an initiative to update the Fertilizers Regulations. …Read more

See the new Duo-Tote at Cultivate’17

On July 15-18 we will be in Columbus, Ohio for the Cultivate’17 trade show. We will be showing the new Plantex by Plant-Prod Duo-Tote™ which is a new bulk packaging format for pre-mixed plant nutrition formulations. It is suitable for larger growers and is quicker and easier to use than bags, giving time-savings for mixing a large tank of around 70%.

Nutrients in the correct proportions can be customized to the specific requirements of each grower and their water conditions.  Incompatible ingredients co-exist in separate compartments. This new delivery format makes it quicker and more reliable for greenhouse staff to prepare the optimal concentration in the solution tanks.

Visit us at booth 2211 and 2213. We have coffee and chocolates waiting for you.

What is Cultivate?

Cultivate is the industry’s preeminent event for business, networking, professional development, trends, industry research, and business growth. It’s where the entire green industry gathers for an event that’s unparalleled in quality of education, variety of exhibitors, and cross-channel networking and learning. Visit their website here.

Plant Products will be at Expo-FIHOQ in Drummondville, Quebec

Come and see Plant Products on November 16, 17 and 18, 2016 at Expo-FIHOQ in the Centrexpo Cogéco – a new location in Drummondville. 

PM-ExpoFIHOQ2015-036_r1-0d89ee0128The premier show in Quebec for ornamental horticulture, green space and municipal professionals is at a new location in Drummondville. Representatives from Plant Products will be happy to answer your questions about high productivity plant nutrition. The booth will be in hall D2 on the bridge that connects the hotel to the convention centre. There will be product demonstration and more details on Master Plant-Prod as well as a contest!

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Expo FIHOQ
Venez nous rencontrer à l’Expo FIHOQ au Centrexpo Cogéco à Drummondville. Par contre, ne nous cherchez pas sur le plancher des exposants. Notre kiosque sera dans la salle D2 sur la passerelle qui relie l’hôtel au centre des congrès.

Il y aura:

  • des nouveautés
  • des démonstrations
  • un concours
  • un 5 @ 7
  • et bien plus!

 

Thank you for visiting us at Canadian Greenhouse Conference

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Thank you to everyone who stopped by at Canadian Greenhouse Conference in the Scotiabank Convention Centre in Niagara Falls, Canada on October 5th and 6th, 2016. It was a great success and we had a great show.

We were pleased to answer questions relating to high productivity plant nutrition, provided advice and bounced around some ideas. We were also giving away gardening gloves to anyone who stoped by our booth.

If you are a licensed grower of medical marijuana we can help you increase the quality and productivity of your operation and explain the purity and solubility of Plantex MJ Bloom, a formulation for the budding stage of growth.

About CGC

The CGC has two days of sessions devoted to Garden Centres and the trade show is expanding to include nurseries. Valuable information and experts in the industry help you grow your business business. You will find people who know your business challenges. It is all about establishing relationships with others in the horticultural industry-relationships that can benefit you professionally and personally.

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