Hey Uncle Ben / homebrewer & TWIMC...Potassium Nitrate Question

Been indoor and limited outdoor growing since "Tricky Dick" was prez...I live in the heart of tobacco country...A neighbor of mine is a lab chemist for a tobacco company...He does soil analysis for grower/producers for abcRJRxyz...The fert formulations based on individual soil tests for their grower/producers are weighted toward KNO3 as a primary (almost exclusive) nitrogen source...His stated reason is "Taste Profile"??? I also read several academic papers on tomato farming and saw that nitrogen source recommendations were skewed to the KNO3 fert side for liquid uptake and "flavor"...Can anyone "KNOWLEDGEABLE" with cannabis horticulture opine???

All I can say is that potassium nitrate is probably the most common nitrogen source in most synthetic and commercial fertilizers. Its relatively inexpensive, water soluble, and works well.

I suspect what your tobacco-soil analyzing friend is alluding to is that tobacco grown in nitrogen poor soils doesn't taste as rich as that grown in nitrogen rich ones. But next time you see him, ask the question specifically.

With respect to cannabis (or tobacco) I don't really think it matters what the actual nitrogen source is, so long as its bioavailable to your plants, and present in sufficient quantity. Don't think the actual taste of the NITRATE is what does that either, again, that's water soluble and should wash out in a "flush" (if you use one). Also, since the flowers are the primary product of interest with cannabis, its probably potassium (not nitrogen) that's most important.

Jogro said:

All I can say is that potassium nitrate is probably the most common nitrogen source in most synthetic and commercial fertilizers. Its relatively inexpensive, water soluble, and works well.

I suspect what your tobacco-soil analyzing friend is alluding to is that tobacco grown in nitrogen poor soils doesn't taste as rich as that grown in nitrogen rich ones. But next time you see him, ask the question specifically.

With respect to cannabis (or tobacco) I don't really think it matters what the actual nitrogen source is, so long as its bioavailable to your plants, and present in sufficient quantity. Don't think the actual taste of the NITRATE is what does that either, again, that's water soluble and should wash out in a "flush" (if you use one). Also, since the flowers are the primary product of interest with cannabis, its probably potassium (not nitrogen) that's most important.

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could you explain HOW that gets washed out,as you say?

Hey Jogro & chuck, Yeah, I am pretty much aware that an ion is an ion...Does not matter where it comes from as it travels the xylem/phloem hiway...What peaked my interest was the fact that the addition of N in KNO3 is not as acidic as an application that has let's say ammoniacal nitrogen in urea or ammonium nitrate...I did not find in the literature I read an explanation for the described increase in water uptake in tomato or the reason that KNO3 contributed to "taste profile" in tobacco...I did, while doing a "google search" see that Mel Frank mentioned using Potassium Nitrate in his early book...Trying to know more & more about less & less...Wasn't it Bertrand Russell that said specialization was for insects??? ...FWIW...

Natural Gas said:

The fert formulations based on individual soil tests for their grower/producers are weighted toward KNO3 as a primary (almost exclusive) nitrogen source...His stated reason is "Taste Profile"??? I also read several academic papers on tomato farming and saw that nitrogen source recommendations were skewed to the KNO3 fert side for liquid uptake and "flavor"...Can anyone "KNOWLEDGEABLE" with cannabis horticulture opine???

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haven't seen homebrewer on riu for awhile now (i think someone said hes on a diff site these days) & UB is still around, he'll probably chime in~

random input --not sure if its going to help whatsoever, but maybe its "K" in KNO3 thats the main source for improved (taste profile/flavor)? those soil formulations by tobacco companys are quality studies, probably gonna look more into this as well, hope you find the answer your looking for

cheers