Growing cannabis organically and sustainably allows us to contribute in our own small ways. To do our part in keeping our environment’s health. Without putting much thought into it, organic growing won’t only help sustain the ecosystem. It is much more beneficial to your plans as well! Now, growers have come up with all sorts of different ways. To apply a more natural feel to their crops. One specific way is by applying Korean Natural Farming.
A lot of times, growing procedures undergo numerous innovations due to the technological advancements available today. While these have actually proven to be quite effective in growing cannabis plants, we tend to forget that these would be better off connected to the environment in their purest form! That is, more or less, the concept applied in a Korean Natural Farming (KNF) setup. Most growing methods tend to separate the plants from their natural habitats by domesticating them. The Korean Natural Farming method of growing looks to incorporate a more natural feel for the plants. Therefore, making a very sustainable and organic growing method for cannabis farming.
You may be wondering: what exactly does this mean? Well, let’s learn a little more about Korean Natural Farming, shall we?
What Is Korean Natural Farming (KNF)?
Korean Natural Farming is basically a detailed structure of various cultivation methods that look to achieve the most sustainable growth possible. It inherently applies numerous principles and concepts which virtually eliminate the need to depend on hazardous chemicals and other compounds. As such, growers are incorporating all the benefits available in our ecosystem, such as the presence of different microbes and enzymes in the soil, to promote bigger yields and an overall healthier environment. The Korean Natural Farming method is applied to both the production of livestock and plant crops. This, of course, has also made its way into the cannabis scene (Because why not?).
But does this mean you have to go all the way into the forest to apply a Korean Natural Farming setup? No, you do not! Normally, there is a part of the ecosystem’s soil that contains an extremely rich composition of healthy bacteria and fungi. This is normally found deep inside the natural forests of certain environments. By emulating the same health condition and freshness found in these parts, growers are capable of giving their cannabis plants a much better chance of sustainable growth!
Where Does KNF Come From?
The idea of Korean Natural Farming was first introduced by Han Kyu Cho, a resident of South Korea who was also part of the Janong Natural Farming Institute. As farming was part of the life that he had in South Korea, he looked to further broaden his knowledge about the topic during the 1960s. This led him to take a trip to Japan for three years. There, he was able to build certain concepts which would ultimately lead to the creation of the Korean Natural Farming blueprint.
How Does KNF Work?
As we have said, the main goal of a Korean Natural Farming setup is to build a healthy and fresh solution of organic soil that benefits both the plants and their surrounding environments. Thus, it will rely on various solutions containing natural microorganisms that help build up the necessary nutrients for cannabis plants.
These solutions which are applied to the gardens make use of very sustainable and organic ingredients that are relatively easy to find and come at a cheap price! As many of these inputs are fermented, the concentrated amounts of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium provide bigger yields and faster growth to your plants.
The input that serves as the main component of the KMF is the indigenous microbes (IMO) present in the soils. This heightens the activity in the growing medium, promotes the development of bacteria and fungi communities, and helps the rooting systems of the plants get “in touch” with the sustainable environment that you provide. Additionally, the other solutions that you will use in a KNF are plant food, fruits, fuel, stimulants (such as vinegar), and even lactic acid.
What Are The Pros And Cons Of Korean Natural Farming?
There are both pros and cons when you decide to apply a Korean Natural Farming method in your gardens. While it does seem like using an organic and self-sustainable setup for your cannabis plants has nothing bad to bring, it may not be as attractive to some as it is to other growers.
For one benefit, it is a very highly sustainable form of growing. You will be doing your part in practicing an eco-friendly way of producing cannabis plants without having to put any extra strain on the natural environment around you. And since the soils will be teeming with live and active microorganisms, the growing area will practically do half of the work in developing some high-quality weed buds!
You will be using a lot fewer nutrients and store-bought products with this form of growing. Since the Korean Natural Farming method establishes a soil or growing medium that is inherently rich with indigenous microbes, your plants will be able to absorb some much-needed nutrients for better growth.
Obviously, your plants will be much healthier and have stronger systems in place with the use of the Korean Natural Farming method. Their cell walls will be able to build up enough energy to withstand harsher climates, as well as have a better immune system that fights off diseases and cuts down the risk of mold development.
What Are The Cons Of Korean Natural Farming?
While not many negative things could be said about this, the only drawback that is worth taking note of is the time, effort, and patience that you will have to exercise! It is not the simplest undertaking for your cannabis plants. Additionally, depending on where you live, it may be quite a hassle to practice this method of growing!
Not only will you need an ample amount of knowledge about cannabis plants. Furthermore, you will also have to have a certain degree of understanding of how certain microbes/solutions work. Plus, how the environment reacts to certain solutions. If it gets too scientific for growers, they may end up botching the whole growing operation.
Korean Natural Farming is not an easy thing to apply. There have been extensive studies and courses that focus solely on the blueprint of KNF! If you are a beginner, then this might not be the best path for your cannabis gardens to take.
Two Primary Stages Of Korean Natural Farming (KNF)?
While we are not exactly considered experts on the subject, we do know that there are two main stages that you will need to take note of when applying your very own KNF solutions to your gardens.
First off, you will have to create the right nutrient solution for your plants. This will typically need large doses of nitrogen to have the rooting systems properly develop and stretch enough to absorb all the nutrients that you give them. Take a bucket and place it in some chopped-up pieces of fish. Yes, we said fish. This allows the build-up of fish amino acids that can aid and sustain your plants with enough proteins and energy. After you have done that, take some brown sugar and place the same amount as the chopped-up fish (in terms of weight). Afterward, take any fruits that you may have and break them down. Mix this all together.
When you are done, simply take a cheesecloth and cover the top. The fermentation process will take anywhere from 4 to 6 months. This time is the requirement to break down the ingredients and turn them into a fine solution. This makes it easy for the roots to absorb nutrients. Provide this solution to your plants during the early stages of vegging. Because this is the time wherein plants will start developing their structures. This added boost of sustenance will keep them fresh and robust all throughout.
What About The Flowering Stages?
When your plants reach the flowering stages, the simplest way of applying Korean Natural Farming is by providing them with fermented fruit juice. You can take any fruit that you have and chop them up into tiny pieces. But the best fruits to use for fermenting are bananas, melon, papaya, grapes, apples, and mangoes. Make sure that they are organic and fresh!
The idea of making fermented fruit juice is very straightforward; chop up all the fruits that you have, place them in a jar, and top them with a generous amount of brown sugar. Leaving this solution to ferment and break down will usually take around 1 to 2 weeks. When you decide to water your plants during the flowering stage, mix in around 1mL of fermented fruit juice into 1 liter of water.
Conclusion: Everything that we have listed above is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to applying Korean Natural Farming in your cannabis gardens. If you want to fully commit to growing sustainably with KNF, then we advise you to do your research. See what else you can input into your weed crops! The Korean Natural Farming method of growing cannabis is a very beneficial way of producing healthy cannabis plants. Not only will it be self-sustaining, but you will also notice your yields grow a lot bigger because of it!
If you have the opportunity to apply Korean Natural Farming to your plants, then, by all means, do so! While it does require a lot more attention to the details of your gardens. The things that you will gain out of it are surely well worth your time and efforts!
