If you’re an organic cannabis grower that loves working with soil then you’ll fully understand the need for soil amendments to optimize your autoflowers’ health and productivity.
Growing autoflower strains in organic soil requires compost teas to deliver the nutrients that your plant needs at any stage of growth.
Blood meal has been used widely as a soil amendment for nitrogen depleted soils as it is rich in nitrogen and iron.
It is popular with vegetable growers as the nitrogen content of their soil is depleted regularly with the planting of new crops.
Using blood meal as a soil amendment for your autoflowering cannabis plants is beneficial in the vegetative stage as it delivers high nitrogen content to your plant, which is necessary for root and leaf growth and is vital to photosynthesis.
Once your autoflowers have switched over to the flowering stage, you will want to use bone meal to provide adequate phosphorus instead.
How blood meal benefits autoflower plants
Blood meal is a fertilizer that is essentially dried blood from an animal, typically cows, but any animal could be used.
The blood is collected, dried into a powder, and added to garden soil to greatly boost the nitrogen content.
This process has been used extensively in agriculture across the world and is a sustainable way to increase garden production.
Autoflowering cannabis needs lots of nitrogen during the vegetative stage of growth and will benefit from the iron that is also present in the blood meal.
Additionally, it is a cost-effective amendment because you don’t need very much for it to start working. It works quickly in soil and can fix any nitrogen deficiencies you may come across.
Tips for using blood meal in your autoflower grow
- Try not to use blood meal on seedlings or clones as it can be too much and burn them.
- Don’t apply blood meal more than twice a week for risk of nutrient burn.
- Ensure you correct the PH of your water and soil. Blood meal is acidic and can drop your PH to low if not monitored. This can burn your plant or cause a nutrient lockout.
- You can sprinkle it directly on the soil and it will break down for the roots to absorb.
Frequently asked questions about blood meal and autoflowers
How long does blood meal feed your plants for?
Blood meal, if sprinkled directly on the soil, will slowly break down with time and as such, will feed your autoflower plant for 6-8 weeks. If you are using it directly in the water you use for your plants then you want to do it once a week as it is fast-acting.
Is blood meal safe to handle and use on your cannabis autoflower plant?
Blood meal is safe to use as it is generally from healthy animals and is a byproduct of getting meat. As with any product, ensure you are getting it from a trusted source to avoid complications.
Are there alternatives to using blood meal as a nitrogen source?
Worm castings are a popular choice for an all-around soil amendment as it provides a lower level of most nutrients that your cannabis plant would need.
Worm castings are full of organic compounds as a digestive byproduct from worms.
Blood meal has the potential to give your plant tip burn whereas worm castings don’t have that issue.
