By Luke Sumpter Reviewed by: Gloria Payá

An overview of macronutrients vs micronutrients in cannabis plants.

Contents:

Cannabis plants require a varied diet in order to survive, thrive, and produce a rewarding harvest. The herb relies on a fine balance of minerals and elements to fulfill key physiological roles throughout the growing cycle. These nutrients include members of two main categories: macronutrients and micronutrients.

MACRONUTRIENTS VS MICRONUTRIENTS

Cannabis plants require macronutrients in large amounts, similar to how protein, carbs, and fats make up the cornerstone of the human diet.

Plants rely on heavy quantities of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K). The demand for these nutrients—or the NPK ratio—changes depending on the stage of growth. Vegetating plants have a higher demand for N and less of a need for P and K. In contrast, plants require much less N and significant amounts of P and K during the flowering stage.

These three elements make up the key macronutrients within the soil. However, plants obtain three additional macronutrients through the air and from water: carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen.

Plants also require a fairly long list of micronutrients to remain healthy, disease-free, and productive. Although they only need these molecules in small quantities, things can go seriously wrong if they miss out. You can compare this to the human need for vitamins. We don’t need much, but our health takes a big hit if we become deficient.

MACRONUTRIENTS

MOBILE VS IMMOBILE NUTRIENTS

Cannabis nutrients feature mobile and immobile characteristics—terms that define their transportability. Plants can shuttle around mobile nutrients to areas where they are needed most. Thus, deficiencies in mobile nutrients show up in older leaves first as plants prioritise the health of the newer growth.

In contrast, immobile nutrients remained locked in place. Deficiency symptoms will manifest in newer growth due to their lack of access to these nutrients. We’ll cover which nutrients feature mobile and immobile properties in the list below.

IONIC NUTRIENTS

Cannabis plants aren’t capable of chomping down organic matter and extracting the minerals from it. Instead, microbes do this hard work in an organic farming environment. They break down manure and compost and liberate the nutrients locked within.

In contrast, synthetic fertilisers douse the soil in nutrients that can be readily absorbed by plants in non-organic settings. In any case, plants can only uptake nutrients as ions. These electrically charged particles either feature a positive charge (cations) or a negative charge (anions). For example, plants take up nitrogen in the form of the cation ammonium or the anion nitrate. They can only access phosphorus in the form of two anions, and potassium in the form of the cation K+.

To put it simply, nutrients must be broken down—or supplied in a refined form—to enter plant roots. These nutrients don’t enter through a passive process such as diffusion. Instead, they enter via active transportation utilising ATP (the cellular currency of energy) and membrane-bound proteins. This process allows ions to move from the root zone into the root tissues.

MACRONUTRIENTS FROM AIR AND WATER

Cannabis plants obtain three of their macronutrients rather self-sufficiently. These elements are either taken in from the air or produced as a byproduct of photosynthesis.

CARBON
  • Plants “inhale” carbon dioxide from the air through tiny pores on the surface of leaves known as stomata. But stomata aren’t always open for carbon dioxide to enter. A pair of guard cells open and close each pore depending on demand for the resource.
  • Carbon dioxide plays a key role in plant health. Plants convert the gas into energy required for growth and use it along with water to conduct photosynthesis.

HYDROGEN
  • Plants create hydrogen from the water molecule during photosynthesis. They achieve this reaction by harnessing the power of light energy.
  • Hydrogen serves as another building block for plant growth. Plants use hydrogen ions to drive the electron transport chain during photosynthesis.

OXYGEN
  • The aerial parts of plants obtain oxygen by splitting carbon dioxide. In contrast, the roots breathe in oxygen as they can’t access light and don’t conduct photosynthesis.
  • Plants need oxygen during the process of respiration to help them release energy from stored glucose made by photosynthesising.

MACRONUTRIENTS FROM SOIL

The rest of the macronutrients required by cannabis plants come from the soil, either in the form of decayed organic matter or synthetic fertilisers. Discover the functions of these important substances below.

NITROGEN
  • Nitrogen behaves as a mobile nutrient in the cannabis plant in the form of nitrate. Plants require nitrogen more than any other nutrient throughout the growing cycle. However, 98% of soil nitrogen exists in an organic form. Microbes are needed to help mineralise this precious substance so plants can access it.
  • Once inside, plants rely on nitrogen for general growth and development. The element also forms a key part of the chlorophyll molecule, which allows plants to carry out photosynthesis. Nitrogen also works as an important component of amino acids—the building blocks of proteins.

PHOSPHORUS
  • As a mobile nutrient, phosphorus makes itself available to new, immature growth. Plants uptake the element as an anion and use it in a long list of physiological processes. Phosphorus occurs in every living plant cell, a testimony to its importance.
  • It plays a role in energy transfer, photosynthesis, and the transformation of starches and sugars. Phosphorus helps move nutrients around plants and assists in the transfer of genetic characteristics to the subsequent generation.
  • The element plays a key role in the vegetative phase, where it contributes to root development and stem durability. Later on in the growing cycle, phosphorus helps plants resist disease and also plays a role in flower formation and productivity.

POTASSIUM
  • Cannabis plants uptake this mobile nutrient in the form of a mineralised cation. They’d run into a very big problem if they suddenly couldn’t access this key element. Potassium contributes to plant growth, metabolic functions, stress tolerance, root growth, and root system structure.
  • Potassium also plays a vital role in water conservation. Remember those guard cells we talked about earlier? Well, they need potassium to open and close the stomata. Plants lose water every time they take in carbon dioxide through these small openings. When water becomes scarce, plants need potassium to close the stomata to hold on to as much water as they can.
  • Plants also rely on potassium as an activator of enzymes and a key player in protein synthesis.

SECONDARY MACRONUTRIENTS

However, cannabis needs more than just those three nutrients to grow and thrive. It also depends on secondary macronutrients such as calcium, magnesium, and sulfur, which play vital roles in plant development.<

CALCIUM
  • Plants need calcium for structural integrity. The immobile nutrient—in the form of calcium pectate—holds together the cell walls and membranes of plants. The element also serves as an intracellular messenger that helps to regulate hormone and enzyme activity.

MAGNESIUM
  • Magnesium—a mobile nutrient—happens to be the very powerhouse behind photosynthesis. The element forms the heart of the chlorophyll molecule, where it enables the structure to capture sunlight used to create sugars. Plants also need magnesium for cell division, protein synthesis, phosphate metabolism, and enzyme activation.

SULPHUR
  • Plants only require this semi-mobile nutrient in tiny amounts. However, they would struggle to form essential enzymes without it. Moreover, sulphur helps to build plant proteins, vitamins, and amino acids.

MICRONUTRIENTS

Although needed in smaller quantities, micronutrients play fundamental roles in plant physiology. Deficiencies are usually quite rare, but their absence can negatively impact health, growth, and yield.

BORON
  • Boron helps to bolster cell walls. It plays an important structural role, with around 90% of the element helping to cross-link the large carbohydrate molecules that make up cell walls. If your plant becomes deficient in boron, it can become structurally compromised.

COPPER
  • Another element that contributes to the complex process of photosynthesis, copper is a mobile nutrient that also helps plants metabolise carbohydrates and proteins.

IRON
  • A semi-mobile nutrient, iron helps plants maintain the structure and function of chloroplasts—organelles that convert light energy into sugars that can be used by plant cells. Iron also works as an important component in numerous enzymes and pigments.

MANGANESE
  • Manganese contributes to some of the most important systems and functions within cannabis plants. These include nitrogen assimilation, respiration, and photosynthesis. The element also plays an important role in reproduction. It assists in pollen tube growth and pollen germination. Cannabis breeders would be out of a job if it wasn’t for this immobile nutrient!

MOLYBDENUM
  • Molybdenum plays an important role in two enzymes that enable plants to synthesise amino acids. One of these enzymes helps to convert nitrate to nitrite, while the other converts nitrite into ammonia. Plants can easily shuttle this mobile nutrient to areas of high demand.

ZINC
  • Zinc influences major changes in plants in only small doses. The immobile nutrient makes up parts of various enzymes and proteins and assists in growth hormone production and internode elongation.

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Privacy Policy - Royal Queen Seeds

To ensure a safe online environment and guarantee adequate data protection, we strictly comply with all legal requirements. In this privacy statement, we provide information about how and for what purpose data is collected, safety measures, storage periods and contact details.


COMPANY NAME: SNORKEL SPAIN, SL (hereinafter ROYAL QUEEN SEEDS)

C/ Vilar d'Abdelà, 5 (nave 1) CP: 08170 de Montornès del Vallès

+34 937 379 846

support@royalqueenseeds.com


The present Privacy Policy sets out the terms on which we will treat personal data at ROYAL QUEEN SEEDS; this includes any personal data collected through our website https://www.royalqueenseeds.com/ as well as any other data we process in the course of our business activities.

ROYAL QUEEN SEEDS collects the following personal data for the purposes listed below:

SECTION 1 – PERSONAL INFORMATION WE COLLECT

1.1 Account purchases

Account purchases can only be made if you are in possession of a personal account. When you create an account or purchase something from our shop, as part of the buying and selling process we collect the following personal information that you provide to us:

This information is required for delivery. In addition, when you browse our shop, we automatically receive the Internet Protocol (IP) address of your computer. Based on this information, we can optimise your online experience and at the same time protect our online environment.

Purpose of data collection

We collect and store account-related data for the following purposes:

(a) to carry out obligations arising from any contracts between you and us, and to provide you with information, products and services that you may request from us;

(b) to set up, manage and communicate with you about your account and your orders;

(c) to conduct market research and analysis;

(d) to confirm your age and identity, and to detect and prevent fraud.

1.2 Newsletters

With your explicit permission, we may send you newsletters about our shop, new products and other updates. We send newsletters based on your explicit consent. In the event that you purchase a product, and in accordance with current regulations, we may send you commercial communications in accordance with the legitimate interest of our company, always about products or services similar to those you have purchased or contracted. In any case, you may exercise your right of opposition through the channels announced in this Privacy Policy. The following information is collected in relation to the newsletter:

We do not need to know the sex of the person in order to send the newsletter (data minimisation: by law we must ask for data that is strictly necessary to provide the service, and in this case knowing the sex is not necessary to send the newsletter).

Purpose of data collection

The data collected is used to:

(a) personalise our emails, including your name and gender;

(b) provide gender-specific content.

You can withdraw your consent at any time by using the link provided in the newsletter or the contact information provided in section 2.

1.3 Customer service and contact form

In order to provide appropriate support, our customer service employees have access to information related to the account. Consequently, their support will be highly effective and friendly. The data provided in our contact form is used by our CRM provider, SuperOffice. We will only use your details to respond to your message.

SECTION 2 – LEGITIMATE INTEREST

If you have purchased any of our products, please note that we may process your personal data for promotional purposes, based on Royal Queen Seeds' legitimate interest only to offer you products or services from our company and about products or services similar to those you have purchased. You may exercise your right to opt out of future messages by the means set out in this Privacy Policy or through any notification you receive.

2.1 How do you withdraw consent?

If you change your mind, you can withdraw your consent for us to contact you for the purpose of collecting, using, or disclosing your data at any time by reaching out to us at: support@royalqueenseeds.com.

SECTION 3 – DISCLOSURE

We may disclose your personal information if we are required to do so by law or if you breach our Terms of Service.

SECTION 4 – HOW LONG DO WE KEEP YOUR DATA?

At Royal Queen Seeds, we will not retain your data for longer than is necessary for the purposes described in this Policy. Different retention periods apply for different types of data; however, the longest period we will normally hold any personal data is 10 years.

4.1 Account information

Data relating to the account remains relevant for as long as the consumer is in possession of an account. Therefore, the data remains documented for as long as the account exists. When our customers delete an account, the associated data will be deleted within a reasonable period of time. Requests regarding the inspection or correction of stored personal data or the deletion of an account can be sent to support@royalqueenseeds.com.

4.2 Newsletters

In the event that you give us your consent to inform you about our products or services, we will keep your data until you express your wish not to receive any further communications from us. However, we regularly (every month) carry out a relevance check. Registered customers (and their personal information) will be deleted whenever customers do not reply to our request. In addition, our newsletter mailing has an opt-out feature. Consumers can withdraw their consent by using this opt-out feature.

SECTION 5 – COOKIES

Cookies are small information files that notify your computer of previous interactions with our website. These cookies are stored on your hard drive, not on our website. Essentially, when you use our website, your computer displays its cookies to us, informing our site that you have visited before. This allows our website to function more quickly and remember aspects related to your previous visits (such as your username), making your experience more convenient. At Royal Queen Seeds, we use two types of cookies: functional and analytical.

5.1 Functional Cookies

Functional cookies are used to enhance your online experience. Among other things, these cookies track what is added to your shopping cart. The use of these cookies does not require prior authorization.

5.2 Analytical Cookies

Analytical cookies are used for research and market analysis. The data collected with these analytical cookies is anonymous, making it unusable for third parties. The use of these cookies does not require prior authorization.

SECTION 5 – THIRD-PARTY SERVICES

Third-party services are required to conduct transactions and provide our services. In general, the third-party providers we use will only collect, use and disclose your information to the extent necessary to enable them to perform the services they provide to us.

However, certain third-party service providers, such as payment gateways and other payment transaction processors, have their own privacy policies regarding the information we must provide to them for your transactions.

We encourage you to read the privacy policies of these providers so that you can understand how these providers will handle your personal information.

In particular, certain suppliers may be located or have facilities located in a different jurisdiction than yours or ours. Therefore, if you choose to proceed with a transaction involving the services of a third party, your information may be subject to the laws of the jurisdiction in which that service provider or its facilities are located.

Once you leave our website or are redirected to a third-party website or application, you are no longer governed by this Privacy Policy or the Terms of Service of our website.

Web analytics service (anonymous data)

On this website we have integrated an element of a web analytics service (with anonymisation functionality). Web analytics can be defined as the gathering, processing and analysis of data about the behaviour of visitors to websites. An analytics service collects, among other things, data about which website a person came from (the so-called referrer), which sub-pages they visited or how often and for how long they visited a sub-page. Web analytics is mainly used for website optimisation and for a cost–benefit analysis of internet advertising.

Courier service

To complete deliveries we use a courier service. This courier service carries out the delivery between our company and the consumer's home. To complete these logistics, the company requires access to the consumer's name and address information.

Mailing service

Royal Queen Seeds uses a third-party mail service provider to send its newsletter. This provider has access to limited account information related to opt-in consent (e.g. email address).

Marketing services

Royal Queen Seeds has the support of a company that specialises in marketing and communication activities. Their access to personal information is very limited and mostly anonymous.

Payment services

At Royal Queen Seeds we use external payment services to handle our transactions (e.g. credit card payments).

SECTION 6 – SECURITY

To protect your personal information, we take reasonable precautions and follow industry standard best practices to ensure that it is not inappropriately lost, misused, accessed, disclosed, altered or destroyed.

If you provide us with your credit card information, the information is encrypted using secure socket layer technology (SSL) and stored using AES-256 encryption. Although no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure, we follow all PCI-DSS requirements and implement additional industry standards that are commonly accepted. Information related to the account is protected with a hashing method. This method transforms the information into a generated hash. As a result, confidential information is protected and invisible, even to us. In addition, our databases are exceptionally protected against unauthorised access. For example, access to the database is only possible and permitted via approved IP addresses (e.g. from Royal Queen Seeds headquarters). Other attempts and addresses are rejected at all times.

Furthermore, data is anonymised as much as possible, so it cannot be directly linked to a specific consumer. With this data, however, we may be able to carry out market research and analysis. In addition, the third parties concerned (e.g. mailing service) are examined prior to our collaboration, comply with the GDPR from the EU and receive a processing agreement. Within Royal Queen Seeds, employees are assigned different access permissions. Specific permission provides access only to information that is strictly required to perform a task. Digital security measures are subject to change and must meet high requirements to ensure the safety of online customers. That is why, at Royal Queen Seeds, we appoint a security officer. Regular verification and improvement of security measures (where necessary) are part of the role.

SECTION 7 – CHANGES TO THIS PRIVACY POLICY

We reserve the right to modify this Privacy Policy at any time, so please check back regularly. Changes and clarifications will be effective immediately upon being published on the Website. If we make substantial changes to this policy, we will notify you here that it has been updated so you will know what information we collect, how we use it and under what circumstances, if any, we use and/or disclose it.

SECTION 8 – YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO: