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Silicon deficiency in cannabis

Silicon Deficiency in Cannabis

Are you a marijuana grower looking to get the most out of your plants? Do you constantly wonder how to seal restrictive loopholes in your hemp farming?

A silicon deficiency cannabis threat is a formidable foe you want to watch out for in your grow operation.

You may have heard nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium hailed as the much-needed macronutrients for hemp growth, but is that all? 

While these are super critical, they’re not the only essential ones for your plants to thrive. Silicon (Si) is equally a fundamental micronutrient, and its absence should worry you.

Read on to learn the importance of Si in your grow business and what its lack signifies. 

You’ll also gain solid insights about addressing the lack of silicon in your grow setup to steer your cultivation better. 

Let’s get started.

How to spot silicon deficiency in cannabis plants

an example of silicon deficiency at early stages
Here is an example of silicon deficiency at early stages: discoloration of foliage

The lack of silicon in your grow setup may be evidenced by certain obvious signs in your plants’ leaves, roots, and overall growth. Some of the telltale symptoms to watch out for include:

  • Foliage discoloration
  • Cannabis rusty leaves
  • Leaf drying
  • Curling or drooping leaves
  • Poorly developed roots
  • Stunted plant growth

Proper moisture and nutrient balance are the cornerstones of high-quality growth. 

Denying your hemp plants the best water for weed growing may cost you that much-needed top yield. That’s right; underwatering may result in drooping, whereas overwatering may lead to discoloration and, by extension, stunted growth.

rusty leaves on cannabis due to the lack of silicon
Rrusty leaves on tips as the early stage of the lack of silicon

Similarly, silicon deficiency in weed may be disastrous to your cultivation efforts. You’ve got a lot to lose from Si shortfall, from a weak plant structure to insect infestations to fungal diseases.

The primary causes of Si deficiency are inaccurate water pH levels, the quantity of liquid provided, and silicon-deficient grow setups. Regardless of your cultivation environment, keeping a watchful eye on these three may be your catalyst for success.

While you may have ensured the best humidity for weed in your grow setup, you may still fail without sufficient Si. This mineral is an effective micronutrient to help ensure healthy growth while boosting your yield. It helps your plants mitigate the adverse effects of chemical and water stress. 

Learning what this retrogressive deficiency looks like might be the greatest challenge, especially to the untrained eye.

Below we take a more penetrating look at the worrying signs of critical Si shortage.

Silicon deficit in water or growing medium causes discoloration in your hemp plants. The micronutrient helps to reinforce the drought resistance of your cannabis. The leaves cannot control transpiration effectively if it lacks or is insufficient.

foliage discoloration on weed leaves due to silicon defeiciency
A good example of foliage discoloration as the leaves don’t get a sufficient amount of water

Without proper transpiration, the leaves may lose excess water and begin to discolor or dry out. They might start curling, drooping, and dropping if the deficiency persists.

curled cannabis leaves
When your weed lacks silicon, tips on the leaves may be dried and curled down

When you encounter silicon deficiency in weed, the impact on roots may not be apparent, but worth paying attention to. The overall effect is you may end up with an underdeveloped or weak root system. 

The absence of silicon in your cultivation setup may translate to growth inhibition. As a result of pruning cannabis, you may also end up with smaller flowers, weak stems, and poor floral quality. 

stuned weed growth
Stuned weed growth can be a result of silicon deficiency

You may not have much to reap from your cannabis harvest at the end of your growth cycle.

How to solve cannabis silicon deficiency

Solving silicon shortage correctly depends on the growth medium you use. Regardless of your marijuana growing schedule, applying the correct fix to Si deficiency is as follows:

Solving silicon deficit in soil

Remedying Si deficiency in this medium simply takes improving the soil. Although the earth naturally provides a perfect nutrient balance, not all growers get the privilege to access healthy soil. 

Soil previously used for farming may prove silicon deficient when converted to hemp growing. 

To mitigate such deficiency, adding diatomaceous earth may help. Employing silicate salts and liquid silicon is another potent solution.

an image of diatomaceous earth, liquid silicon and silicate salt
Solving silicon deficiency in soil with diatomaceous earth, liquid silicon and silicate salt

Resorting to specialized cannabis plant meals is also viable but only contains trace levels of silicon. 

Tip: Not all manufacturers adhere to scientific production standards. It’s imperative to check your new fertilizer label to ensure it contains silicon before buying.

Solving silicon deficit in hydroponic setups

Cannabis plant deficiencies take many forms, and a critical deficit in the soil is the major contributor to a low yield. Hydroponic grow systems are no different.

These systems are the main culprit of Si shortfall, requiring growers to supplement their nutrient mix for healthy growth. 

The feasible methods to introduce silicon to your soilless medium include sodium silicate, potassium silicate, and foliar sprays

Sodium silicate (Na2SiO3) or liquid glass is the most effective method to eradicate silicon deficiency in weed. The substance is soluble in water, making it easy for your plants to absorb Si through their roots. 

Hydroponic systems tend to be quite acidic. Exercise care when adding Na2SiO3, preferably in small doses every two to three days. The mixture may produce silicate ions capable of chemically reacting with other ions to form a solid silica gel.

The solution may not solve your deficiency problem if the reaction happens before your plants absorb the silicon.

Potassium silicate (K2O3Si) is the perfect substitute for sodium silicate in combating Si shortfall. It comprises approximately 3.7% potassium and 7.8% silicon and is more effective when combined with fertilizer.

Note that this liquid supplement is primarily alkaline. Keep a keen eye on the pH levels of the solution when you add it to your nutrient mix. We recommend targeting pH levels ranging from 5.5 to 6.5 to compensate for the high alkalinity concentration in K2O3Si.

Foliar sprays are another powerful solution for stabilizing silicon in hydroponically grown cannabis. While plants draw nutrients from the roots, Si may not be readily available in soilless mediums. Using a spray provides a faster way to replenish silicon levels through the leaves.

It’s essential to realize this is only a short-term remedy. Your plants cannot carry Si from the leaf surfaces to all the stems and branches as it’s not mobile-friendly. You’ll have to supplement the roots for wholesome silicon mobility. 

Curling or drooping leaves are best treated by directly applying silicon foliar spray. Adding sodium silicate solution to the grow mix does an excellent job for a weak root system. 

Introducing sodium silicate or potassium silicate solution to the fertilizer is the best remedy for stunted growth.

What is silicon toxicity?

Silicon toxicity is just that; an excess of the micronutrient in your cannabis. Think of it as the flip side of Si deficiency that results in marijuana nutrient burn. While it’s a rare phenomenon, it can happen.

Healthy marijuana development is a function of diverse macro and micronutrients. There’s no disputing silica for cannabis growing is an indispensable element, but too much of it may be detrimental.

An imbalance in the levels of nutrients within your plants may frustrate the growing process. Even the best indoor or outdoor cannabis seeds may not develop into healthy plants if they experience either silicon deficiency or toxicity.

Si toxicity in your crops may both be obvious and invisible. While you may visually notice symptoms like leaf discoloration or withering, some signs may prove elusive to the untrained eye. 

The best remedy if you suspect an overload of silicon in your plants is to take a swift intervention to neutralize it. We’d recommend flushing your cannabis plants with pH-balanced H2O to restore healthy nutrient harmony.

a picture of silicon toxicity
Flushing cannabis can help neutralize the excess of silicon

Flushing simply means eliminating the silicon micronutrient in the grow medium to re-establish the perfect mineral balance. Use either tap water or other commercial solutions before re-introducing the nutrient.

Like the quantity of water and its pH levels affect the quality of your yield, toxicity in silicon shouldn’t be overlooked. If left unchecked, it can frustrate your cultivation efforts significantly.

Think twice before underestimating silicon

Silicon is among the most underappreciated micronutrients in hemp growing, yet a critical determinant in optimizing yield. 

Si shortage may not be common in outdoor grows but is prevalent in indoor hydroponic setups. Supplementing your crops with silica for cannabis affords you a healthier yield. Think of the powerful micronutrient as a growth catalyst.

Should you notice any Si deficiency symptoms, you can resort to several remedies, such as introducing foliar sprays or sodium silicate. Avoid an excess of these solutions, though, as you may end up with undesirable silicon toxicity to reckon with.

Whatever remedy you choose, silicon ultimately strengthens your plants’ insect resistance, drought resistance, and yield. Fortunately, many modern plant meals and fertilizers come embedded with Si traces to help you with all that.

As you alleviate the silicon deficiency cannabis setback, make your yield count with top-notch weed seeds. Look no further than i49 seed bank. Let’s get you started with superior-quality premium cannabis seeds to complement your nutrient-rich grow setup.

AUTHORED BY: Douglas Kester Mr. Kester came to i49 with a wealth of experience. He’s worked in the cannabis industry for more than ten years. As a growing expert at i49, Mr. Kester finds it hard to choose a favorite strain. Instead, he regards each one as unique and full of potential. Douglas finds it rewarding to experiment with specific cultivars and cross-breed to discover a new one.

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