Canna - Cannaboost

Cannaboost is the additive on this shelf that attracts the most confusion, and CANNA clear it up themselves in one sentence: Cannaboost is not a feed like most boosters on the market, it raises the plant's metabolism.

Not a feed, and therefore no substitute for your PK

CANNA say it literally, and not in small print but in their directions for use: Cannaboost is not a nutrient and so not a replacement for CANNA PK 13/14. They recommend using the two together.

That is worth knowing before you choose, because most bottles on this shelf do exactly what a PK does. They bring phosphorus and potassium with them and raise your EC accordingly. Confuse the two categories and one of two things happens: you replace your PK with something that is not a PK and your plant runs short in bloom, or you stack a second PK on top and sit too high.

Cannaboost belongs in neither category. What CANNA do with it is speed up the plant's metabolism, and their reasoning holds up: how much nutrition a plant takes up depends strongly on its health and its metabolism. A plant working harder makes better use of what you are already giving it.

What CANNA say happens

Cannaboost increases the rate of photosynthesis. That raises sugar production in the fruit, which is what CANNA base the flavour claim on: sweeter, with the natural aromas produced at higher concentrations.

Beyond that, CANNA say it stimulates the development of new flowers, so fruits can end up heavier than usual. And there is a second side to it that gets mentioned less often: the flowering regulators in Cannaboost help the plant ration its available energy, so ripening proceeds more gradually. The result CANNA describe is a more uniform harvest, in which the fruits develop evenly instead of part of the crop running ahead.

That is a different kind of promise from more weight. If you harvest in one go, evenness is as useful as size.

Two CANNA instructions that almost nobody repeats

The first is a warning. Never give Cannaboost at the same time as hydrogen peroxide products. That matters on this shelf, because we sell two: Aptus System-Clean is stabilised hydrogen peroxide at 8%, and Aptus Fungone sits at 3%. If you are using either to treat your system or your crop, do not give Cannaboost in the same round.

The second is about shelf life after mixing. CANNA specify that a diluted solution should be dosed within seven days. Anyone mixing a reservoir for a week of automatic irrigation is right on that line; anyone stretching it to a fortnight is past it.

Dose and application

The standard ratio is 1:500, so 20 ml per 10 litres of tap water. For extra flowering power CANNA name a maximum concentration of 1:250, meaning 40 ml per 10 litres. Shake the bottle well before use.

Cannaboost can be given by hand, through drip irrigation and as a foliar spray, in all three cases at 1:500. Always give it together with your regular plant nutrition rather than instead of it. It combines with every other CANNA product and with any growing system.

Store it frost-free, closed and in the dark.

Available sizes

Technical Specifications:

• Type: additive that raises metabolism, not a fertiliser
• Manufacturer: CANNA
• Dose: 1:500, meaning 20 ml per 10 litres of water
• Maximum concentration: 1:250, meaning 40 ml per 10 litres of water
• Application: by hand, through drip irrigation or as a foliar spray
• Period: the flowering phase, alongside your regular feed
• Do not combine with: hydrogen peroxide based products
• Shelf life once diluted: dose within seven days
• Does not replace: CANNA PK 13/14, which you use alongside it
• Storage: frost-free, closed and dark

Frequently asked questions

Can I use Cannaboost instead of PK 13/14?
No. CANNA state themselves that it is not a nutrient and therefore not a replacement, and recommend using the two together.

Why not alongside hydrogen peroxide?
That is CANNA's own instruction. We sell two peroxide products, Aptus System-Clean at 8% and Fungone at 3%, so do not give those in the same round.

How long does a mixed reservoir keep?
CANNA hold to seven days for a diluted solution.

How much do I give?
1:500, so 20 ml per 10 litres. For extra flowering power 1:250 is the maximum concentration.

Can I spray it on the leaf?
Yes, CANNA name foliar spraying as an application method, at the same 1:500 ratio.