# Mineral fertiliser

> A mineral (synthetic) fertiliser supplies nutrients as soluble salts that dissolve straight into plant-available ions; chemically, the plant takes up the same ions as from organic sources.

- Canonical: https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/mineral-fertiliser.html
- Also written: synthetic fertiliser, synthetic fertilizer, mineral fertilizer, synthetic nutrients, salt-based nutrients, chemical fertiliser
- Glossary category: Nutrients · Evidence: Supported
- Status: Draft: awaiting expert review · Updated: 2026-10-31
- Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/), attribute "GenetixBay cannabis glossary"

A mineral fertiliser, often called synthetic, is a manufactured or refined inorganic salt such as [calcium nitrate](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/calcium-nitrate.md), [potassium nitrate](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/potassium-nitrate.md), [monopotassium phosphate](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/monopotassium-phosphate.md) or [magnesium sulfate](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/magnesium-sulfate.md). It dissolves directly into ions such as [nitrate](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/nitrate.md), ammonium, [phosphate](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/phosphate.md), potassium, calcium, magnesium and sulfate, the same ions microbes release from organic matter.

## In practice

Mineral feeds are the standard for hydroponics, coco and rockwool because they are precise, fully soluble, measurable by [EC](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/ec.md) and do not foul lines. They give fast response but no buffer: mistakes show quickly, and the root zone does not hold reserves the way amended soil does. Their quality depends on recipe and management rather than on origin.

## Don't confuse with

- **"Chemical" as a scare word**: everything in a feed is a chemical, organic or not.
- **Organic fertiliser**: nutrients released slowly by microbes.
- **Plant growth regulators**: synthetic hormones, a different category entirely.

## Myth check

"Synthetic nutrients make harsh smoke" is not supported by controlled trials; harshness comes mainly from drying and curing. The plant mostly doesn't care where the ions come from (GenetixBay house position). See [organic vs mineral](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/nutrients/organic-vs-mineral.md) and [Mythbusters](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/mythbusters.md).

## Related terms

[Organic fertiliser](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/organic-fertiliser.md), [A/B nutrient](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/a-b-nutrient.md), [Calcium nitrate](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/calcium-nitrate.md), [Stock solution](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/stock-solution.md), [Per-element dosing](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/per-element-dosing.md)

## Read more

- [Organic vs mineral nutrition for cannabis: what the trials show](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/nutrients/organic-vs-mineral.md)
- [Hydroponic salts explained: what each fertiliser salt supplies](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/nutrients/hydroponic-salts.md)

## Sources

1. Massuela DC, Munz S, Hartung J, Nkebiwe PM, Graeff-Honninger S. 2023. Cannabis Hunger Games: nutrient stress induction in flowering stage - impact of organic and mineral fertilizer levels on biomass, cannabidiol (CBD) yield and nutrient use efficiency. Frontiers in Plant Science 14:1233232. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2023.1233232
2. Sonneveld C, Voogt W. 2009. Plant Nutrition of Greenhouse Crops. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-2532-6