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A Scientific Approach Comparing Growing Substrates for Cannabis

A Scientific Approach Comparing Growing Substrates for Cannabis Professor DeBacco Research Article Nemati, R., Fortin, J. P., Craig, J., & Donald, S. (2021). Growing mediums for medical cannabis production in North America. Agronomy, 11(7), 1366. https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/11/7/1366 What Growers Typically Look For.. High porosity Fast draining Maintains moderate water content between irrigations Quick dry downs to reduce the risk of root pathogens Well-balanced physical and chemical properties High consistency Free of weeds and pathogens Main Categories Rockwool Phenolic Foam Peat Based Coir Based Living Soils Rockwool Overview Rockwool is made from basalt rocks or other minerals which are liquefied at high temperature and then spun into fibers that can then be made into different sizes and shapes such as : blocks, cubes and slabs. It can hold more nutrient solution and air than any other growing medium. Rockwool… Lightweight inert soilless substrate Provides moderate to good aeration Excellent water holding capacity Low CEC (Nutrient retention) Easy to handle and use Homogeneous Durable Pathogen free *However, microbial life does develop in rockwool during the growth cycle of plants. Phenolic Foam Relatively new sterile soilless substrate that comes in a range of sizes Phenolic Foam has… Consistent texture Excellent aeration Moderate to low water holding capacity Superior drainage Helps keep the top surface drier, limiting algae growth Peat Moss Peat moss has a high buffering capacity for water, pH and nutrients. It is acidic, hydrophobic and low in nutrients. Additives are incorporated to make it suitable for growing plants. Peat has a spongy structure without lignified fiber. Lignified fibrous material may originate from other species growing on the peat bog if any. Coir Properties Various particle sizes from fine dust to large chunks Hold high volumes of water Hydrophilic properties Tough structure Excellent wettability and can rewet easily *Reducing the need for wetting agents. Slow breakdown rate and therefore does not shrink during production cycle High aeration and drainage *Can depends on particle size distribution. Living Soils The living soil category has no defined standards. It can be as simple as incorporating a microbial inoculant into a growing media but it can be much more complex The living soil matrix must support microbial populations Biodiversity is important to maintain a balance between mineralization, plant protection and biostimulation. The basic components of living soils are peat moss, coir pith, coir chunks, naturally aged bark, wood fiber, composts and natural additives. A variety of inoculants can also be used in living soils: compost, bacterial inoculants, mycorrhizae and actinomyces to name a few. “Best” Growing Substrate It is not easy to suggest what is the best growing medium for cannabis production. Each category of growing medium has its strengths and weaknesses and choosing any of these categories depends a lot on the growing technique and production system. Many factors have to be taken into account when selecting a growing substrate. Overall, coir-based products are the intermediate substrates showing more advantages and less weakness Expandable coir bags allow for minimal storage space, sterile starting conditions and a supportive growing substrate. Link to Lecture Slides: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1UYu0... *Due to the description character limit the full work cited for "A Scientific Approach Comparing Growing Substrates for Cannabis" can be viewed at... https://docs.google.com/document/d/15...