How to use Canna nutrient charts

If there was ever a cannabis fertiliser company that needs no introduction, it's probably the Dutch brand Canna. Specialists in plant nutrition in various substrates (soil, coco, hydroponics and aeroponics) since the early 90s, the solidity of their results and the good information they provide to their customers have made them a benchmark in the world of cannabis cultivation.

Today we are going to take a look at their products and, above all, at their nutrient schedules, those charts that fertiliser manufacturers provide us with to guide us when it comes to providing the most complete and balanced diet possible for our plants. As many of you know, these tables give us the doses to use for each product at each stage of the plants' life, as well as the optimum pH and EC ranges for maximum development.

As you will see, we will study all the Canna nutrient charts, referring to substrates such as soil (we will see the charts for mineral as well as organic fertilisers), coco fibre, hydroponic systems (clay, rockwool, etc.) and, finally, aeroponics, those soil-less systems in which the irrigation water or nutrient solution is usually reused instead of being discarded, recirculating it from the tank to the irrigation system and back to the tank. But best not get ahead of ourselves and first, let's look at the products we are going to use in each type of growing medium.

The Canna range of fertilisers and additives

As with most brands of fertilisers, the first thing we see when we look at the Canna catalogue is that they have all kinds of additives on the one hand and specific base nutrients for each type of substrate on the other. As is also normal, in the end, the grower will end up using a certain type of base nutrients depending on the growing medium used, and a series of additives during the growth and flowering phases. So first, let's have a look at the different base fertiliser ranges before we move on to the additives.

Canna Terra range

Canna's range of products for growing in soil is formulated for use both indoors, outdoors and in greenhouses, and can be used in both pots and open ground. Terra Vega and Terra Flores are high-yielding, quickly-absorbed and easy-to-use organo-mineral fertilisers, ideal for growers starting out with this type of fertiliser. So, Canna offers two different nutrients in this range, one for the growth or vegetative phase and the other for the flowering or generative stage.

• Terra Vega: This is the basic fertiliser for the vegetative development or growth stage of plants. Thanks to its formulation, which includes nitrogen compounds, iron chelates and trace elements, the elements contained are quickly assimilated by the plants, and nutrient deficiencies can be corrected quickly and effectively.
• Terra Flores: Here we have the base fertiliser for the fruiting or flowering phase, with a higher concentration of phosphorus and potassium than Terra Vega. Its characteristics are the same as in the previous case, with very rapid assimilation of nutrients that guarantees exuberant harvests at the end of the crop.

In addition, Canna offers 3 different types of substrates within this range: Canna Terra Seed Mix (ideal for germination and the first stages of life), Canna Terra Professional (a mixture of peat and mosses rich in nitrogen) and Canna Terra Professional Plus, which is, according to Canna, the purest substrate on the market, with truly outstanding results.

Canna Coco range

Coco cultivation has plenty of fans, as many growers attest to having the best of soil growing combined with the best of hydroponic growing when they use coco fibre as a growing medium. For these growers, Canna offers Canna Coco A+B, a two-part base fertiliser for this substrate; it is very simple to use, as you only have to mix identical quantities of components A and B in the nutrient tank. The amount of each one will be determined by the stage of the plants and is always indicated in the corresponding cultivation table.

• Canna Coco A+B: This base fertiliser for coco fibre consists of two parts (A and B). Depending on whether the plants are in growth or flowering, the amount to add of each component to add will vary, although it will always be the same amount of component A and B. These are fast assimilation fertilisers with a mineral base but also containing natural chelates and humic and fulvic acids.

As with the Terra range, Canna also offers various high-quality coco fibre substrates: Canna Coco Natural, Canna Coco Professional Plus and the ready-to-use coco slabs.

Canna Hydro range

This range has been specially formulated for hydroponic growing systems in which the drainage water does not recirculate, i.e. does not return to the nutrient reservoir once it has drained from the pots or containers. As in the Terra range, there are two base nutrients, Canna Hydro Vega and Canna Hydro Flores, one for the growing period and the other for the flowering period. However, in this case, both fertilisers are two-part, so we must add the same amount of component A as component B, as with coco but this time with one fertiliser for growth and the other for flowering.

• Canna Hydro Vega: Special two-part formulation (A+B) for non-recirculating systems with professional results. Designed for inert growing systems and with everything you need for explosive plant growth.

• Canna Hydro Flores: The flowering phase version of this two-part fertiliser (A+B). With this fertiliser, we ensure that our plants receive everything they require for spectacular flower production.

Canna Aqua range

The Canna Aqua range, consisting of Canna Aqua Vega and Canna Aqua Flores, has been formulated for hydroponic and/or aeroponic crops where the nutrient solution (the mixture of water, fertilisers and additives) is recirculated between the nutrient reservoir and the growing system. In this way, the drainage water left over after watering the plants is returned to the reservoir and used for the next watering. A couple of classic examples of this type of cultivation would be NFT (Nutrient film technique) or DWC (Deep water culture). Again - as with the Canna Hydro range - there is a 2-part fertiliser for each stage of the plant's life:

• Canna Aqua Vega: Containing all the essential elements for complete plant development, this two-part (A+B) fast-absorption fertiliser is a safe bet for those who do not want to have any nutrient assimilation problems in their more advanced crops.

• Canna Aqua Flores: The same principle but specially formulated for the flowering phase of the plants, with an increased supply of elements such as phosphorus and potassium.

Biocanna range

Before we look at the additives and stimulators, it is worth pausing for a moment to see what the Biocanna range has to offer, which as the name suggests consists of products specially developed for use in organic cultivation. As you will see, these are the organic versions of products we have already seen.

• Biocanna Bio Vega: 100% organic base fertiliser for vegetative growth.
• Biocanna Bio Flores: 100% organic base fertiliser for the flowering phase.
• Biocanna Bio Rhizotonic: Completely organic root stimulator.
• Biocanna Bio Boost: Organic bloom stimulator.

Finally, Bio Terra Plus is a professional substrate of 100% vegetable origin that includes a mixture of peat and coconut fibre, ideal for the organic cultivation of our favourite plants.

Canna additives and stimulators

Having seen the base fertilisers for the different growing media that Canna offers, now let's take a brief look at their additives and stimulators, which, as you will see when you take a look at the charts, are usually combined with the base fertilisers to achieve the best possible results in both growth and flowering.

• Canna Rhizotonic: This product is a powerful root system stimulator formulated to achieve maximum root growth and nutrient assimilation. Canna Rhizotonic also increases resistance to certain diseases.

• Cannaboost Accelerator: Specially developed for fast-growing plants such as cannabis, with Cannaboost you will achieve amazing results during flowering, with more generous harvests and better quality flowers.

• Cannazym: The enzymes contained in Cannazym are an excellent ally for every grower, as they accelerate the decomposition of organic matter and improve the assimilation of nutrients, in turn activating beneficial microbial life in the soil.

• Canna PK 13/14: This PK supplement is ideal to get the best results in flowering thanks to the extra phosphorus and potassium. Canna PK 13/14 is a must if you want to get the biggest buds you can!

How to use the Canna nutrient charts

Now we'll take a look at the cultivation charts for each nutrient range. In order not to create confusion, we will follow the same order we followed in presenting the different ranges. But before we continue, let's keep in mind a few considerations: the dosages we will see (usually in millilitres or ml) are for a 10-litre tank of water, so we will have to adapt the dosages of each product if we need to prepare more or less nutrient solution.

In most cases, you will also see that the dosages are suitable for a starting water with an approximate EC of 0.4. If you are using reverse osmosis water, you can add Canna Calmag Agent to reach this EC value before adding the rest of the nutrients and additives (the EC+ value that you will see in the tables refers to the amount of nutrients to be added, while the total EC value refers to the nutrients added + the EC of the starting water).

Canna Terra nutrient chart

The first thing we can see is that in this case we will need the two base fertilisers from the Terra range, Terra Vega and Terra Flores, and the 4 additives we already looked at. It is interesting to look at the duration in weeks of each period to adjust the chart to the needs of each variety, as some might need a much longer vegetative period than others, for example. As is always the case, the total EC gradually rises as the plants develop until the last 1-2 weeks, when it is recommended to water only with Cannazym and Cannaboost. The recommended pH of the nutrient solution is between 5.8 (growth) and 6.2 (flowering).

Canna Coco nutrient chart

As we can see, the main difference between this table and the previous one is that we are going to use Coco A and Coco B throughout the entire cultivation, adding the same amount of both when preparing the nutrient solution. For example, in the first week, we should add between 15 and 25 ml of A and B, but always the same amount of both. As the plants grow and start to flower, the amount of fertiliser supplied will increase until the final stage, when again it is recommended to use only Cannazym and Cannaboost. The pH value for the nutrient solution should be between 5.5 (growth) and 6.2 (flowering).

Canna Hydro nutrient chart

Similar to what we have seen in the Canna Coco growing chart, Canna Hydro nutrients consist of two parts, although in this case, we have two different nutrients, Hydro Vega A+B for growth and Hydro Flores A+B for flowering. As always, the total amount of nutrients increases until the end of the cultivation, where again we irrigate only with water, Cannazym and Cannaboost. The recommended pH value is between 5.2 (growth) and 6.2 (flowering).

Tabla de cultivo Canna Aqua

This chart is almost identical to the previous one, as the basic difference between the Hydro and Aqua range is the question of whether the nutrient solution is to be recirculated or not. It is recommended to replace the nutrient solution once a week, as well as check the pH value of the nutrient solution regularly (ideally every day). The pH range for this nutrient line is between 5.2 (growth) and 6.2 (flowering).

Biocanna nutrient chart

As this is an organic fertiliser chart, the first thing we see is that in this case we don't need Cannazym or Canna PK 13/14. Unless the pH value reaches 7.5 it will not be necessary to lower it, although if we have to do so, it is best to use some organic acid and adjust it to a value close to 6.5. Use Bio Vega during growth and the first weeks of flowering, and switch to Bio Flores as soon as the plants stop growing vertically. As in previous cases, Bio Rhizotonic is used during almost the entire grow, although in higher concentrations during vegetative growth. Bio Boost will be used from the start of flowering.

That's it for our review of Canna's products and growth schedules, undoubtedly one of the most widely used fertiliser brands in the cannabis sector, with more than proven experience and results beyond any doubt. Remember that you can leave a comment if you have any doubts about how to use these products, or perhaps you have tried some variation that is worth sharing with the rest of our readers.

Happy growing!