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N-P-K, What Is It?

N-P-K stands for Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P) and Potassium (K). Together, these elements make up the macronutrients cannabis requires to grow. Macronutrients are the primary source of food for marijuana plants to effectively grow and bloom flowers or buds.

Throughout its entire life cycle, cannabis grows well with a 1:2 proportion of Phosphorus (P) & Potassium (K) in the form of soluble nutrients.

It is worthwhile to state for the record the real ratios of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium that cannabis requires during its whole life cycle varies.

To give a basic outline on the ratio of N-P-K in a 12-week timeline for a common Skunk type, such as Super Skunk and Skunk #1, the result would be something like this:

Week 1 of Veg: 3 – 1 – 2
Week 2 of Veg: 3 – 1 – 2
Week 1 of Flower: 3 – 1 – 2
Week 2 of Flower: 3 – 1 – 2.
Week 3 of Flower: 1 – 1 – 2
Week 4 of Flower: 1 – 1 – 2
Week 5 of Flower: 1 – 1 – 2
Week 6 of Flower: 1 – 1 – 2
Week 7 of Flower: 0 – 1 – 2
Week 8 of Flower: 0 – 1 – 2
Week 9 of Flower: 0 – 0 – 0.
Week 10 of Flower: 0 – 0 – 0.

Using this plan, the nitrogen will be reduced two weeks into the 12/12  lighting phase, which will aid in the prevention of vertical growth (stretch). After 6 weeks, it completely eliminates all nitrogen from the system, resulting in a less bushy, cleaner tasting bud with more density. In the final two weeks, you should feed your plants plain water adequate to drain away all of the salts that have collected and produce a completely clean end product. If Nitrogen is removed or significantly lowered after 6 weeks, a three-week flush, as recommended by some, is not essential. People that utilise a three-week flush are more likely to be using canna nutrients, which contain too much nitrogen for late-blooming, and as a result, they get the benefits of flushing for a three-week period.

Despite all of the nonsense that fertiliser companies try to sell you about the necessity of various types of fancy nutrient products, you actually don’t need all of them. Weed is a basic plant that only requires the right N-P-K at the proper time, as well as a full variety of trace elements, and that is a hard fact that will never be changed by any degree of promotion or advertising from the nutrient companies.