The Complete CANNA® Nutrients Guide: How to Choose, When to Use, and What to Expect
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Whether you operate a 100-light commercial room or a 4×4 at home, CANNA is one of the few nutrient brands centered around a straightforward concept: base nutrients specifically designed for the medium and irrigation style you actually use—then layer in clean, targeted additives. They also produce premium substrates for a complete all in one package. The outcome is reliable steering, consistent high quality, and fewer surprises.
This comprehensive guide presents CANNA’s philosophy, the complete range of base lines and additives, and practical, step-by-step methods to get started. Future in-depth explorations will link from here to assist you in mastering each product.
Why CANNA?
Single-source, media-specific. CANNA is a Dutch fertilizer company with over 30 years of experience in controlled-environment horticulture. Rather than a single “catch-all” base formula, CANNA develops distinct base lines for soil, coco, peat/inert drain-to-waste, and organic—each fine-tuned to the chemistry of that medium.
Tight input control. CANNA’s longstanding supplier relationships emphasize high-purity mineral inputs and consistent logistics. This approach results in fewer formulation changes, reduced impurities, and remarkably stable batches year after year.
Additives that make a serious difference. The booster, enzyme, kelp, and Ca/Mg tools are formulated to integrate seamlessly with any CANNA base—and even perform well with many third-party base programs.
How to Choose Your CANNA Base (Start Here)
Select your base according to the medium and irrigation style, then add the compatible additives you need.
1) Soil (bagged “hot” soils, raised beds, outdoor)
Use: CANNA TERRA (Terra Vega for veg, Terra Flores for flower).
Why: Easily available mineral nutrition for soils that will “run out of charge,” simple mixing, ideal for hand-watering or DTW.
Additives: RHIZOTONIC (rooting & stress), CANNAZYM (enzyme), CANNABOOST, PK 13/14 as necessary, CALMAG Agent if water is soft.
2) Coco (indoor DTW or hand-water)
Use: CANNA COCO A&B (same A&B for veg and flower).
Why: The coco fiber itself “conditions” the solution; after approximately 3–6 weeks of veg, the medium achieves equilibrium and naturally presents a flower-leaning ratio using the same base—excellent for consistent fertigation and crop steering.
Tips: Many growers maintain an EC of 2.0–2.2 throughout (up to around 2.6 EC with aggressive steering). Veg for at least 3 weeks to establish the proper in-media balance.
Additives: RHIZOTONIC early (reduce in flower), CANNAZYM late veg → flush, CANNABOOST throughout bloom, PK 13/14 during a planned window, CALMAG Agent if necessary.
3) Peat mixes (e.g., PRO-MIX®, Sunshine #4) & Rockwool Drain-to-Waste
Use: CANNA SUBSTRA (A/B Vega, A/B Flores) for inert/DTW styles. (If transitioning from rockwool/coco, this is the “familiar” hydro DTW option.) Use THIS for soft water and THIS for hard water.
Why: Predictable mineral profile for substrates with low CEC; an excellent match for precise irrigation strategies.
Additives: Same stack: RHIZOTONIC, CANNAZYM, CANNABOOST, PK 13/14, CALMAG Agent as needed.
4) Organic (living soil, minimal salts)
Use: BIOCANNA or RHIZOTONIC & BOOST to complement living soil (they’re all vegan/plant based and 100% natural)
Why: If your soil is pre-charged with dry amendments, you may only require targeted organic boosts around weeks 4–6 of flower.
Additives: Vegan RHIZOTONIC, BOOST; BIOCANNA Flores if extra flower nutrition is required. (BIOCANNA not for sale in CA)
Propagation to First Feed: How to Start Right
CANNA Rootplugs (90% coco / 10% European peat): dehydrated plugs that hydrate in less than 15 minutes; roots can emerge in as quickly as 6 days in many trials.
Soak recipe: For every 2 gallons, mix CANNA Start + RHIZOTONIC at 5–10 ml/gal each.
Result: rapid, even rooting; seedlings/cuttings appear with visible momentum.
Transplant & First Irrigation
Ensure uniform initial saturation (field capacity) prior to transplanting.
Rockwool/coco: aim for about 85% water content at the start.
In rockwool, verify by measuring wet weights (e.g., Grodan Hugo ~2650 g at full saturation).
Why it matters: Even starting lines = even drybacks, even EC, even crops.
Irrigation & Steering (Simple Rules of Thumb)
Veg = small doses, more frequently (≈3% shot sizes in rockwool; higher frequency).
Sends a vegetative signal (stem/leaf).
Flower = larger doses, less frequently (≈6% shot sizes in rockwool).
Sends a generative signal (flower density).
Avoid letting rockwool blocks dry below approximately 25% water content. Below that, the top becomes hydrophobic and is difficult to re-wet through emitters.
Sensors are your superpower. Monitor WC/EC/Temp in the root zone and climate VPD; secure the win by documenting SOPs from your best runs.
The CANNA Additive Stack (What Each One Does)
RHIZOTONIC (North Atlantic kelp; vegan option available)
Root initiation, stress resilience, micronutrients/amino acids.
Use: 15 ml/gal early (clone/veg), taper to around 2 ml/gal by early flower to limit stretch.
CANNAZYM (enzyme complex; cellulase-forward)
Digests decaying root mass into plant-available compounds; keeps roots white and uptake effective.
Use: 10 ml/gal from late veg through flush (hobbyists see clear ROI; scale as budget permits).
CANNABOOST (formulation designed for bloom quality & vigor; vegan option available)
CANNA’s flagship flower enhancer with high per-ml ROI.
Use: 7.5–15 ml/gal from week 1 of bloom until harvest (commercial growers often use 5–7.5; hobbyists tend to use more).
PK 13/14 (phosphorus/potassium boost)
Usage timing is crucial. CANNA’s chart suggests a brief, intense week; field-proven adjustments indicate an earlier, lower rate for a bit longer—gentler on fertigation systems.
Cease use about 4 weeks before harvest so the plant can metabolize the PK naturally (better finish, cleaner aroma).
CALMAG Agent
For soft water or particular source-water situations; stabilizes Ca/Mg levels and pH behavior for consistent feeds.
CANNA Start
Gentle “baby formula” for seeds/cuttings; provides the right macro and micro balance for propagation—superior to just “half-strength veg.”
Example Programs (Quick Start)
A) Coco (DTW), 3-week veg → 8-9 week bloom
Base: COCO A&B from day one
Additives:
RHIZOTONIC 15 ml/gal (clone/early veg), taper to 2 ml/gal by week 3 of bloom
CANNAZYM 10 ml/gal late veg → flush
CANNABOOST 7.5–15 ml/gal throughout bloom
PK 13/14: earlier, lighter, slightly extended; cease ~4 weeks from finish
EC: 2.0–2.2 standard (up to about 2.6 with steering)
B) Peat mix or Rockwool DTW
Base: SUBSTRA A/B (Vega → Flores)
Additives: RHIZOTONIC, CANNAZYM, CANNABOOST; PK 13/14 optional (greater effect in than coco rockwool/soil)
C) Soil (bagged)
Base: TERRA Vega → TERRA Flores as soil charge diminishes
Additives: RHIZOTONIC, CANNAZYM, CANNABOOST; PK 13/14 if the cultivar responds and timing aligns
D) Organic/Living Soil
Base: BIOCANNA (as required)
Additives: Vegan RHIZOTONIC & BOOST as your “organic turbo” during mid-bloom
Commercial? Here’s How Teams Engage
Share your system (medium, emitters/flow, gallons/day), goals, and challenges.
Determine sizes for potential trial (typically 10–20 lights for R&D).
Implement with support (bi-weekly check-ins, fine-tuning irrigation strategy).
Scale (because consistent math + consistent inputs = consistent conversions).
CANNA’s additives also integrate cleanly with non-CANNA base programs, allowing easy testing without overhauling your feed room.
Hobby Growers: Where to Start
Visit cannagardening.com for 30 years of R&D articles and the Grow Guide (auto-generate a feed chart based on your system).
Consult GrowersHouse for media-matched bases and the essential additive trio: RHIZOTONIC, CANNAZYM, CANNABOOST.
Using “hot” soil? Introduce VEG/FLORES only when charge declines; utilize vegan RHIZOTONIC/BOOST to keep plants content without overfeeding.
TLDR (The Cheeseburger Analogy)
Base = the beef. CANNA’s media-specific bases utilize higher-purity mineral inputs for a cleaner, consistent patty. (Like sourcing your meat directly from the farm vs. the patty you get from fast food…both ‘meat’ but drastically different).
Additives = the bun/cheese/fixings. RHIZOTONIC, CANNABOOST, CalMag and PK 13/14 “enhance the meal” without overwhelming it. (think imported cheddar, farm fresh tomato, and an in-house brined pickle)
Price to fit. CANNA can be specified to match the same cost per mixed gallon as most commercial programs—or optimized for premium performance.
What’s Next
This is your CANNA starting map. From this point, we’ll publish brief in-depth explorations of each product—how it functions, rates, timing, and expert tips. We’ll link those guides from this post as they go live so you can easily access the details you need.
Need assistance aligning CANNA to your setup? The GrowersHouse team can translate your medium, emitters, and targets into a straightforward, media-matched program—plus support you in conducting trials smoothly.