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Did you know that something as cheap and simple as baking soda could be integral to successful cannabis cultivation? Not only can it raise pH levels, fight powdery mildew, keep pests away, and wash buds post-harvest – when used correctly. However, like with any tool, there are certain risks associated with incorrect usage of baking soda. Continue reading to learn everything you need to ensure success in your next grow!
Baking soda might not be the first thing that comes to your mind when you think about gardening, but it can actually be useful for more than just cooking and cleaning. Baking soda solutions are great at getting rid of diseases and pests, as well as balancing pH levels. Plus, after you harvest your plants, sprinkling some baking soda on them will get them ready to use. But beware–you could damage your plants if you use too much or put it on at the wrong time.
What Is Baking Soda?
Baking soda is an essential ingredient in many types of breads, batters and more. With a pH of 9.5, baking soda is considered a base (alkaline substance) that reacts with acidic ingredients – like vinegar or buttermilk – to create carbon dioxide gas. This gas forms the bubbles that make breads and batters rise during baking.
Baking soda isn’t only reserved for Grandma’s cookies; its high pH makes it effective in other areas, as well.
Baking soda is a popular choice for many people because it’s versatile and can be used in several ways. Not only is it invarious toothpaste and mouthwash products, but you can also use baking soda as an antacid to relieve heartburn or stomach acidity. Ifyou’re looking to avoid harsh chemicals, then rely on baking sodainstead of scouring powder, drain cleaner,and carpet deodorizer the next time you clean your home.
Most people don’t know that baking soda has uses outside the kitchen, like combating pests and diseases in your garden or correcting pH issues.
Why Use Baking Soda in Your Cannabis Garden?
Baking soda might sound like an odd choice for growing plants, but under the right circumstances, it can work really well on cannabis. We’ll explain a few of the best ways to use baking soda later on in this article. But first, we want to mention that you should avoid using it during certain periods, such as later into the flowering stage.
How Do You Apply Baking Soda to Plants?
Farmers can use baking soda for a diverse number of things, like diluted foliar spraying or adding it directly into the soil. You can also employ baking soda once harvest to clean your buds from any contaminants (more info on this later).
Baking Soda as a Fungicide and Pesticide
Fungi come in many shapes and sizes, but they all have one thing in common- they can be dangerous to cannabis plants. Powdery mildew is a prime example of these plant nuisances that feast off the valuable nutrients your plant needs to grow. Pests are another real problem when it comes to growing cannabis indoors or out.
Some species can decimate an entire canopy if not kept in check. For example, aphids- common pests in cannabis- inflict severe damage. Their mouths have evolved to puncture plant tissue and suck out the nutrient sap inside; They also breed rapidly, making them more challenging to eliminate once they’ve taken hold.
However, before you reach for those harmful chemicals that could end up damaging your garden and the area around it, try a more environmentally friendly solution like sprinkling baking soda on weeds!
Basic Baking Soda Foliar Spray Recipe
If you don’t want to spend a lot of money on store-bought solutions, no problem! You can use baking soda to fight the infection or infestation and nurse your plant back to health. Check out the simple directions below.
Note: Baking soda does an excellent job of regulating pH levels, but Always dilute it more than usual if you’re going to use it as a foliar spray. If the plant starts showing sings of stress, such as leaf curling or discoloration, stop using baking soda immediately and rinse the leaves with clean water.
Ingredients
- Baking soda
- Liquid non-detergent dishwashing soap
Equipment
- 5l bottle
- Spray bottle
Directions
- In order to create the all-purpose cleaner, mix together 4.5l of water, 1 tablespoon of baking soda, and ½ teaspoon of soap in a 5 liter bottle.
- Once you have mixed the solution, pour it into your spray bottle.
- Apply the solution to your plants on overcast days, making sure to evenly distribute it on both sides of any affected fan leaves and stems.
Baking soda is effective on its own, but adding soap to the mixture makes it even better. If you have pests in your garden or grow room, simply give them a spritz.
Baking soda should never be sprayed on your plants during the flowering phase, as it will only cause buildup and residue on your buds.
Use Baking Soda to Increase pH
While baking soda can help to regulate pH levels in soil, it is important that growers take care when using it. Cannabis plants cannot absorb the nutrients they need if the pH of their soil falls outside the ideal range, so monitoring carefully is crucial.
If a soil test reveals that your garden’s pH is too low for your plants, you can raise it by applying baking soda. Most plants prefer living in sweet spot between 6.0 and 7.0 on the pH scale. To use baking soda as solution, simply mix a tablespoon into 5 litres of water and apply to the surrounding area per instructions from small batches always test again several hours after initial application to monitor progress; stay consistent with mixtures used and continue testing soil until target goal is achieved so not as to furtherance problem by adding too much at once as this could dramatically change Garden’s entire ecosystem..
Baking Soda During Bud Washing
Washing your cannabis buds may seem like a wasteful practice to some, however, growers who do this claim that it removes contaminants – making the weed taste better. Many people don’t realize that trichomes make cannabis very sticky; as a result, all sorts of particles can become stuck to buds: including debris such as soil and dust; insect eggs and faeces; plus creepy-crawlies like spiders! When you think about smoking those kinds of things, we’re guessing you quickly change your mind about bud washing!
The process of bud washing starts with combining baking soda, lemon juice, and fresh water. This mixture helps to take away any extra particles from your weed while still keeping the trichomes. The buds are then rinsed in two buckets of clean water to make sure that no leftover solution is present.
Does Baking Soda Have a Place During the Flowering Phase?
You shouldn’t spray your buds with baking soda too late into the flowering stage, as you’ll need to use different solutions to get rid of pests and disease later on. If you apply baking soda sprays any later than week two of flowering, the end result will be tasteless buds. Washing them in a weakly diluted solution is much easier to remove before they are dried, cured, and smoked–compared to spraying baking soda directly onto your flowers.
Baking Soda on Weed: Wise or Foolish?
Baking soda can be a Grower’s best friend when it comes to getting rid of pests and diseases, changing the pH level of your soil, or even washing your buds. However, as with most things in life, moderation is key. Applying too much baking soda or applying it too late into flowering can damage plant health and affect taste negatively.
