Nutrient Timetable

Cannabis Nutrient Feeding Schedule

This comprehensive guide provides week-by-week nutrient recommendations for both soil and hydroponic growing systems. Remember to always start with lower doses than recommended and adjust based on your plant's response.

Growing Medium:

Plant Type:

Photoperiod Plants in Soil

Growth Stage	Week	Base Nutrients (NPK)	CalMag	Supplements	Notes
Seedling	1	None	None	None	Use only pH-balanced water (6.0-6.5). Quality soil should contain enough nutrients for seedlings.
Seedling	2	¼ strength veg nutrients	None	Root stimulator	Begin very light feeding as first true leaves develop. Watch carefully for any signs of nutrient burn.
Vegetative	3	½ strength veg nutrients	If needed	Root stimulator	Gradual increase in feeding as plants develop more foliage. Plants are resilient, but still sensitive.
	4	½ strength veg nutrients	¼ strength	Root stimulator, Silica	Plant growth accelerates. Monitor for signs of deficiencies in older leaves.
	5	Full strength veg nutrients	½ strength	Silica, Enzymes	Plants entering peak vegetative growth. Ensure adequate nitrogen for lush foliage development.
	6-8	Full strength veg nutrients	Full strength	Silica, Enzymes	Final vegetative phase. Prepare for flip to flower by ensuring plants are healthy and well-fed.
Transition	9	½ veg + ½ bloom nutrients	Full strength	Silica, B vitamins	Transition to 12/12 light schedule. Plants will stretch and need different nutrient ratio with more phosphorus and potassium.
Transition	10	¼ veg + ¾ bloom nutrients	Full strength	Silica, B vitamins	Stretch phase continues. Monitor plants closely as they adapt to the new nutrient mix.
Flowering	11-12	Full bloom nutrients	Full strength	Bloom enhancer	Early flower phase. Buds beginning to form. Critical stage for providing proper phosphorus and potassium.
	13-14	Full bloom nutrients	Full strength	Bloom enhancer, Carbohydrates	Mid-flower phase. Peak feeding time as buds develop rapidly. Watch for any nutrient deficiencies closely.
	15-16	Full bloom nutrients	Reduced to ½	Bloom enhancer, Carbohydrates	Late flower. Buds fattening. Begin to gradually reduce nitrogen while maintaining P-K levels.
	17+	½ strength bloom nutrients	¼ strength	Carbohydrates, Ripening enhancer	Final flower phase. Begin to reduce nutrients overall while monitoring trichome development.
Flush	Final 10-14 days	None	None	Flushing agent (optional)	Flush with pH-balanced water to remove nutrient buildup. This improves final flavor and smoke quality. Watch trichomes for harvest readiness.

Photoperiod Plants in Hydroponics

Growth Stage	Week	Base Nutrients (NPK)	CalMag	Supplements	Notes
Seedling	1	100 PPM	None	None	Very light solution for seedlings. Maintain pH 5.5-6.0. EC approximately 0.2-0.3.
Seedling	2	300 PPM	50 PPM	Root stimulator	Gradually increase nutrient concentration. Monitor EC/PPM daily as uptake can change rapidly.
Vegetative	3	500 PPM	100 PPM	Root stimulator, Enzymes	Increase feeding as plants grow. Maintain pH stability and check for any nutrient lockout signs.
	4	700 PPM	100 PPM	Root stimulator, Silica, Enzymes	Growth accelerates. Consider changing reservoir more frequently as plants consume more.
	5	800-900 PPM	150 PPM	Silica, Enzymes, B vitamins	Approaching full vegetative strength. Monitor for nutrient burn and adjust if necessary.
	6-8	900-1100 PPM	150 PPM	Silica, Enzymes, B vitamins	Peak vegetative feeding. Maintain stable temperature in reservoir to prevent root issues.
Transition	9	900-1100 PPM (50/50 veg/bloom)	150 PPM	Silica, B vitamins	Begin transition to bloom nutrients as lighting changes to 12/12. Plants may drink more during stretch.
Transition	10	1000-1200 PPM (25/75 veg/bloom)	150 PPM	Silica, B vitamins	Continue transition to bloom formula. Monitor EC as nutrient demand shifts.
Flowering	11-12	1100-1300 PPM	150 PPM	Bloom enhancer, Enzymes	Early flower phase. Fully transition to bloom nutrients with higher P-K ratio.
	13-14	1200-1400 PPM	150 PPM	Bloom enhancer, Carbohydrates	Mid-flower phase. Peak nutrient demand. Watch for any signs of deficiency or lockout.
	15-16	1100-1300 PPM	100 PPM	Bloom enhancer, Carbohydrates	Late flower phase. Begin gradually reducing nutrient strength. Watch EC/PPM carefully.
	17+	900-1100 PPM	50 PPM	Carbohydrates, Ripening enhancer	Final flower phase. Continue reducing overall strength while maintaining bloom formula ratio.
Flush	Final 7-10 days	Clean water (0 PPM)	None	Flushing agent (optional)	Run clean, pH-adjusted water through system. In DWC/RDWC, change reservoir to clean water. For coco/soilless media, flush with 3x pot volume.

Autoflowering Plants in Soil

Growth Stage	Week	Base Nutrients (NPK)	CalMag	Supplements	Notes
Seedling	1	None	None	None	Water only. Autoflowers are more sensitive to nutrients early on. Let the pre-amended soil provide what's needed.
Seedling	2	⅛ strength nutrients	None	Root stimulator	Begin very light feeding. Autoflowers prefer a light touch with nutrients throughout their lifecycle.
Early Growth	3	¼ strength veg nutrients	If needed	Root stimulator	Gentle increase as plants develop. Autos will soon begin showing pre-flowers naturally.
Early Growth	4	½ strength veg nutrients	¼ strength	Root stimulator, Silica	This is typically the last week of pure vegetative feeding for autoflowers.
Transition	5	½ veg + ½ bloom nutrients	½ strength	Silica, Enzymes	Most autoflowers begin flowering around week 4-5 regardless of light cycle. Adapt nutrients accordingly.
Transition	6	¼ veg + ¾ bloom nutrients	½ strength	Bloom enhancer, Enzymes	Transition feeding to support bud development while plants are still growing in size.
Flowering	7	Full bloom nutrients (½ strength)	½ strength	Bloom enhancer	Full bloom phase begins. Remember to keep strength moderate - autos need approx. 50-70% of photoperiod nutrient strength.
	8	Full bloom nutrients (½ strength)	½ strength	Bloom enhancer, Carbohydrates	Buds developing rapidly. This is typically peak feeding time for autoflowers.
	9	Full bloom nutrients (½ strength)	¼ strength	Bloom enhancer, Carbohydrates	Late flower. Begin to slightly reduce overall feeding while maintaining bloom-focused nutrients.
Flush	10	None	None	Flushing agent (optional)	Final flush with pH-balanced water. Most autoflowers are ready to harvest around day 70-80 from seed.

Autoflowering Plants in Hydroponics

Growth Stage	Week	Base Nutrients (NPK)	CalMag	Supplements	Notes
Seedling	1	100 PPM	None	None	Very light solution. Autoflowers in hydro benefit from a gentle start. Maintain pH 5.5-6.0.
Seedling	2	200-250 PPM	50 PPM	Root stimulator	Slight increase but keep levels lower than photoperiod plants. EC approximately 0.3-0.5.
Early Growth	3	400 PPM	50 PPM	Root stimulator, Enzymes	Continue light feeding. Hydroponic autoflowers develop quickly but remain sensitive to overfeeding.
Early Growth	4	500-600 PPM	100 PPM	Root stimulator, Silica, Enzymes	Final week of vegetative-dominant feeding. Plants are establishing strong root systems.
Transition	5	600-700 PPM (50/50 veg/bloom)	100 PPM	Silica, Enzymes	Begin transition as plants show preflowers. Monitor EC closely as feeding needs shift.
Transition	6	700-800 PPM (25/75 veg/bloom)	100 PPM	Bloom enhancer, Enzymes	Continue transition to bloom-dominant feeding. Plants still stretching while developing bud sites.
Flowering	7	800-900 PPM	100 PPM	Bloom enhancer	Full bloom phase begins. Keep PPM around 60-70% of what photoperiod plants would receive.
	8	800-900 PPM	100 PPM	Bloom enhancer, Carbohydrates	Peak flowering phase. Maintain stable reservoir conditions and change solution more frequently.
	9	700-800 PPM	50 PPM	Bloom enhancer, Carbohydrates	Late flowering phase. Begin gradual reduction while monitoring trichome development.
Flush	10	Clean water (0 PPM)	None	Flushing agent (optional)	Final flush with clean, pH-adjusted water. In recirculating systems, change to fresh water; in drain-to-waste, flush thoroughly with clean water.

General Nutrient Tips

Always start light - It's easier to add more nutrients than to fix nutrient burn
pH is critical - For soil, maintain 6.0-6.8 pH; for hydro, maintain 5.5-6.2 pH
Watch runoff - In soil, check runoff pH and PPM occasionally to monitor salt buildup
Adapt to your strain - Different genetics have different feeding requirements
Watch leaves - They're your best indicator of nutrient issues
Water quality matters - Start with good water (filtered, RO, or clean tap water)
Temperature affects nutrients - Keep growing area at appropriate temperatures to avoid lockout

Signs of Nutrient Issues

Nitrogen (N) Deficiency

Yellowing of older, lower leaves moving upward; smaller leaves; slower growth

Phosphorus (P) Deficiency

Dark green leaves with purple/red stems; slower growth; smaller leaves

Potassium (K) Deficiency

Yellow/brown edges on older leaves; spotted leaves; weak stems

Calcium (Ca) Deficiency

New leaves hooking/distorted; brown/dead spots; weak structures

Magnesium (Mg) Deficiency

Interveinal yellowing starting on older leaves; leaf margins remain green

Nutrient Burn

Leaf tips yellow/brown and curl upward; dark green leaves with "claw" appearance

Nutrient Timetable

Cannabis Nutrient Feeding Schedule

Photoperiod Plants in Soil

Photoperiod Plants in Hydroponics

Autoflowering Plants in Soil

Autoflowering Plants in Hydroponics

General Nutrient Tips

Signs of Nutrient Issues

Nitrogen (N) Deficiency

Phosphorus (P) Deficiency

Potassium (K) Deficiency

Calcium (Ca) Deficiency

Magnesium (Mg) Deficiency

Nutrient Burn

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