Today’s guest post is written by the team at CBD Education Online, the #1 resource dedicated to providing the latest and greatest CBD research.
Cannabis crops can easily be considered the new frontier of agriculture today, especially following the recent waves of marijuana legalization throughout the United States and Canada. Unfortunately, recreational and medical marijuana, and strains of marijuana commonly used to extract cannabidiol (CBD) are oftentimes devoid of pesticide regulation, which is a very real problem faced in the industry today.
Unfortunately, regulations regarding the use of pesticides in cannabis crops have fallen short of effectively managing the issue, as the industry is new and very much under-regulated. In the states of Washington, Colorado, and California, surveyed testing of dispensary marijuana strains have turned up surprisingly dangerous levels of pesticides and fungicides – and in very large percentages of product.
The importance of pesticide-free crops
Understandably, the biggest concern in utilizing soil enhancers that contain pesticides on cannabis crops is the chemical effects on the consumer.
Especially in the medical marijuana sector, those who consume marijuana and CBD products are often high-risk patients, who are often suffering from severe illnesses or disorders. Many marijuana and CBD consumers cannot afford to experience the wide range of negative health effects brought on by pesticide inhalation and consumption in addition to their pre-existing conditions.
A degradation in medical quality
Soil enhancers containing pesticides and fungicides not only degrade the quality of medicine that would otherwise be extremely beneficial to the consumer’s health, but it has been scientifically proven that these pesticides will make it into the consumer’s bloodstream following consumption. No matter the method that is used to consume, any pesticides present in the soil or on the plant at the time of harvest will be present in the final product.
Pesticide-free cannabis crops are both better for the environment, and better for those who are in close contact with the plants as well.
As the cannabis industry continues to grow, agricultural and government regulations are bound to increase in number, too. Therefore, it’s better to be on the safe and environmentally-friendly side, rather than risk a complete shutdown or hefty fines and penalties for using harmful products in larger-scale grows.
The effects of inhaling pesticides and fungicides
Both marijuana and CBD work in similar ways within the body, particularly through their effects on the endocannabinoid system. This biological nerve system, present in all mammals, is known to be the conduit of communication between the brain and body. Both THC and CBD (the two most commonly known compounds found in marijuana) target neurological receptors within the endocannabinoid system, therefore providing consumers with a range of positive health benefits.
When pesticides and fungicides are present in the soil of cannabis plants, however, they can degrade these positive effects of the plant on the endocannabinoid system. In turn, they may cause negative effects on health such as:
Headaches and dizziness
Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea
Extreme weakness and seizures
Long-term pesticide exposure has also been linked to many serious diseases, including:
Cancer
Parkinson’s disease
Depression and anxiety
Leukemia
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma
In addition to carrying a wide array of negative side effects on health, pesticide and fungicide soil enhancers can be terrible for the environment. They can damage the soil permanently and can kill many organisms living in the soil that are essential to the healthy growth of plants.
A cleaner alternative
Using all-natural soil enhancers, such as Organic MARPHYL Marine Phytoplankton Soil Enhancer, makes for both a higher-quality plant and a product that is safer for consumption. By omitting impurities and only using organic products, the environment is better protected, as well as anyone who consumes the final product.
How it works
MARPHYL Soil Enhancer provides cannabis plants with the exact balance of potassium needed to encourage a healthy movement of nutrients and nitrogen within the plant, which is essential to photosynthesis. Roots need phosphorus to thrive, which MARPHYL Soil Enhancer encourages as well.
MARPHYL Soil Enhancer is an all-natural, fully organic product that is completely pesticide and fungicide free, and naturally provides plants with all of the potassium, phosphorus, and nitrogen they need to thrive. Trace amounts of calcium and magnesium are also present, which optimize plant health and growth.
It’s best to keep it natural
When growing cannabis independently, all-natural and organic soil enhancers are key to a safe and healthy product. As many dispensaries throughput the United States have exhibited, pesticides in cannabis are far more common in dispensary products than previously thought. With an independent grow that is completely free of pesticide and fungicide-based soil enhancers, and through the use of only all-natural products, we may pave the way for a brighter, healthier future in cannabis growth.
Written by the team at CBD Education Online
All-natural and organic soil enhancers are key to a safe and healthy product.
Try our MARPHYL® Soil Enhancer made of 100% wild phytoplankton.
Plants rely on potassium to facilitate the circulation of nutrients and on nitrogen as the essential element in photosynthesis, while the roots need phosphorus to thrive. MARPHYL® Soil Enhancer is high in potassium, nitrogen, and phosphorus, and also contains trace amounts of other nutrients, such as calcium and magnesium for optimum plant health and growth.
Can your product be use in aquaponic, and if so what dosage would you recommand not to arm the fish?
Tank you
Hi Jerome,
Indeed, our Soil Enhancer is widely used in aquaponics. You can combine 1 portion of our organic Soil Enhancer with 20 portions of water.
Our product won’t harm the fish, as its only ingredient is 100% natural wild multi-species phytoplankton. Phytoplankton has been a natural source of nutrients for all marine organisms for millions of years.
Hope that information helps and let us know if you have any other questions, we are always happy to answer.
Warmest regards.
When you say one portion what do you mean? For instance if i was using 1 Litre of water how much soil enhancer do i use? Also every 2 weeks?
Ps. This is for growing cannabis.
Thank you
Hi!
Thank you for your question.
If you have 1 liter of water, you need the amount of Soil Enhancer 20 times less, which is 50 ml.
Any time you want to calculate the ration, take whatever water amount you need and divide it by 20, then you have one portion of the Soil Enhancer and 20 portions of water.
We advise watering your plants with this mixture as frequently as you would have watered them using just water.
Hope that helps!
Divide 20 / 1L …50ml 😉
The nutrients on the label say 1900 ppm Nitrogen. Is that a diluted ppm based on 20 to 1 or 50ml /liter?
Hi Ray,
Thank you for your question. This ppm is when the Soil Enhancer is diluted with water respecting our recommended ration (1:20).
I am trying to figure out the % of nitrogen in the product premixed. I have come up with 3.99% but I have no idea if its right.
If its .19% mixed at 20 to 1.
Thanks
Hi Ray,
Our Soil Enhancer’s NPK numbers are 0.19 – 0.001- 0.07. These are calculated for the diluted solution (1:20). And they are for an area of 1000 sq ft.
Hope that helps.
Is your soil enhancer good to use during the flowering stage of cannabis? thanks
Hi,
Thank you for your question.
Indeed, you can use our Soil Enhnancer during the flowering stage of cannabis.
You might be concerned about a nutrient burn at that moment, but that can never happen with our Soil Enhancer as it is a 100% natural products and the plants will absorb only as much as they need.
Hope that helps.
Hi, I just started using Marphyl on my cannabis. Can it just be used alone to grow cannabis or do You need other nutrients as well? If so, what other organic nutrients or products will work well with Marphyl during my grow? Thanks
Hi! We are happy to hear you are using our product for your cannabis. You can easily use only our Soil Enhancer without adding any other nutrients, many of our clients do so.
Hi. I have just purchased your soil enhancer based on very good reviews.
I have been using Gaia Green 4-4-4 to fertilize my cannabis plants during veg and am wondering if I can use the soil enhancer with the 4-4-4 and during flower with 2-8-4 ?
Would this be over doing it and or dangerous to the plants?
Hi! Thank you for purchasing our product.
Your plan seems good. We would recommend diluting all the products a little more than recommended and there should be no problem in using them together.
Happy planting!
How early in the cannabis seedling stage can you start using this?
Hi. You can start using it from the very start.
If I’m filling 3L of water how much MARPHYL should I be using?
Hi, the ratio is 1:20. For 3L of water you need 150ml of our Soil Enhancer.
does the soil enhancer effect the smell and taste of the final product in a positive way or negative way?
Hi!
The Soil Enhancer does not affect the smell or the taste of the final product in any way.
It can be used as long as you wish, there are no limitations.
sry for double post, but had a second question.
How long can the enhancer be used for up until harvest?
hello im going to use your product for my grow and was wondering if i use pro mix potting soil as my medium if i run into any problems using this and ur product only in the grow?
(https://www.promixgardening.com/en-us/product/detail/promix-premium-potting-mix)
Hi! We recommend you increase the ratio for our Soil Enhancer (maybe 1:30 instead of 1:20) to avoid over fertilizing.
Hi
Looking to use your product on foliar spray, how will that translate in term of ratio for dilution
Hi! We recommend using our Soil Enhancer for watering you plants (1:20 dilution ratio) as it works best when the nutrients can be absorbed by the roots.
Hi, can this product only be used once every 2 weeks? Or can it be used more than once in a week and not cause harm?
Hi, we recommend using it every other watering. So if you water multiple times a week, you can just add our product to the water every other time.
Can i use your product in conjunction with sugars, molasses, for watering & or Compost teas?
Yes, indeed you can!