Pot Growing Medium: The Advantages and Disadvantages of Algae

Growing cannabis is an enjoyable experience especially for those people who are marijuana lovers and wants to get stoned around with it like your pot growing medium. But there are instances that there are things that could sprout out within your cannabis and ruins out the beauty within it. That is why you eliminate such hindrances removing and even killing it off to prevent its further distraction upon your plant. Disturbances like weeds, pests, and insects are effectively removed by applying methods that are made for the removal of such things.

However, what if your plant suddenly starts turning green, what you should do? It’s not a supernatural occurrence or a miracle that you’ll need to get shocked with. This is completely normal for some cannabis plants. These are just part of the challenges upon the cultivation of your cannabis plants and you don’t need to get down with it.

There is a concrete and scientific explanation for cannabis plants turning green. This article will look at those possibilities on why your pot growing medium change its color. To know more, scroll out below to find out.

Algae in the Plants

Algae are a diverse group of photosynthetic organisms that could vary from unicellular microalgae to multicellular algae for which an example is giant kelps. These organisms referred to as “green slime” mostly reside in watery and moist places like freshwater, ponds, salt water, soil, and even rocks. These organisms do not have true stems, roots, and leaves.

Just like any other plant, these organisms thrive for light, water, and nutrients. These green slimes could easily grow everywhere as long as the conditions are being met. As much as known, your cannabis satisfies such factors knowing that it supports such factors and it is very much healthy so more likely there is a high vulnerability of exposure to algae.

The Advantages and Disadvantages of Algae To Your Pot Growing Medium

Algae infestation has been view as a pest or a blessing to some people. Like any other thing in this world, it has its own share of positive and negative effects on the plants and within the environment. The following includes;

ADVANTAGES
a. Medicinal Properties

-Grab down immediately your algae to your cannabis because it is used to cure out different diseases and illnesses. Studies have shown that it contains antibacterial and anti-fungal effects. Also, it prevents cancer, improves cardiovascular health, and diabetes. Likewise, it contains a high content of minerals, vitamins, antioxidants, and proteins. As of today, there are herbal medicines and food supplements that are made from algae.

b. Improves Plant Growth

Believe it or not. There are existing plant supplements and even fertilizers made from algae. It contains vitamins, minerals such as potassium, iron, phosphorus, and zinc that is needed for plant growth. It includes also phytonutrients and amino acids to make the plant’s structure stable and strong.

c. Increases Oxygen in the Environment

While some people thought out that this organism consumes out dissolve oxygen, well its entirely not true. Naturally, algae exhale oxygen into the environment for which is helpful on the carbon-oxygen cycle making the air fresh and healthy.

DISADVANTAGES
a. Attracts insects, fungus, and pests

This could be the most immediate problem that most cannabis cultivators experienced. These organisms entice out pests such as flies and fungus within the plant since it feeds up to the algal accumulation and worst, including the roots of the cannabis plant. Additional risks could be contributed to these organisms because they could carry out pathogens that could cause numerous diseases in the plant.

b. Slows down Nutrient Uptake

Because it usually grows in the soil and within the roots, it decreases and hinders the nutrient transport from the root to the plant’s system. Because of this, a tendency is that the plant will lose its strength and further, its health.

c. Competition for Plant Growth

You need to realize that these organisms thrive through water and nutrients. Like any weed, it will absorb out these essential substances leaving out nothing for your cannabis plant. That is why some cannabis growers want it to remove to not compromise the health of the cannabis.

d. Vulnerability to Accidents and Risks

Algae are slippery and wet. It is a fast-growing organism so you’ll expect that it will multiply around the area and even to pathways increasing hazard and danger within the plant.

e. Remove Biological Oxygen in the System

As these algae bloom, die and decompose around the plant, organic carbon will be filled over the area. Because of this phenomena, dissolved oxygen is slowly eradicated it. As a result, your cannabis plant will suffer from suffocation and eventually will die.

Eradicating Algae within your Cannabis Plants

There are a few ways that you could employ to remove the cannabis plants around your area. The difficulty of removal depends on the spread and deep the penetration of algae into the system. Likewise, the following includes;

a. Spraying it with algaecides

There are a lot of pesticides that could be bought on your local botanical and agricultural shops in order to remove out algae that accumulate in your area. However, this could threaten out some nutrients around your plant. But nonetheless, consult an expert before applying it to your cannabis plants.

b. Sterilizing the plants

Apply chemicals like hydrogen peroxide, chlorine, and sodium hypochlorite (bleach) to kill off the algae that surround around the plant. But then, some of these chemicals are natural biocides and could affect cannabis nutrition and growth upon application of it. Nevertheless, asking a botanist or an agriculturist would be helpful before putting it into your soil.

c. UV Treatments

This new technology on removing algae is applied to some systems on fully remove algae in rocks and soil. This removes the pores and algae itself preventing it from growing again.

d. Grapefruit Seed Extract

There are facts shown that correct doses of grapefruit seed extracts and the nutrient solution could eliminate levels of algae within the soil. This does not harm the plant in any way but nonetheless, this has not been studied well enough.

Prevention of Algae Accumulation 

As known, algae strives into light, moisture, and nutrients. That is why it is important to keep your place clean preventing standing water to it. Likewise, plant a lot of cannabis around so that algae will have no place to grow and they can’t get nutrients around.