Nute Program - Teas, Chemicals, or Both.

I will be beginning to add nutes to early veg plants in about a week or so. My concern is trying to establish a sound nute program for my soil-based plants. I have the (1.) standard 3 General Hydroponics Macro liquid nutes (N, P, K ) from a long ago hydro grow as well as (2.) dry chemicals (mono potassium phosphate, magnesium sulfate, potassium nitrate, potassium sulfate, and a combined micro nutrient) and (3.) worm casting/cow manure tea.

Should I concentrate on using one medium or try to combine these various nutes by rotating them in and out of the fertilization cycle? If I use the General Hydro or dry chemicals do you adjust the ph down to the lower scale values used for a hydro grow even though I have a soil-based growing medium?

I also understand if i plan on using liquid or dry chemicals I may need to flush periodically to avoid salt accumulation. Sticking with teas would preclude this obligation but then I need to remain concerned about maintaining adequate macro/micro levels.

Any insight is appreciated,

FSM

If your soil is decently rich I'd just use the tea and not use the bottled salts garbage. If you go that route and they look like their starving you can add bottles nutes. But I bet it works out fine. I really think their food comes from light and CO2 and people grossly overestimate how many nutrients these plants need.

DonnyTinyHands said:

If your soil is decently rich I'd just use the tea and not use the bottled salts garbage. If you go that route and they look like their starving you can add bottles nutes. But I bet it works out fine. I really think their food comes from light and CO2 and people grossly overestimate how many nutrients these plants need.

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I am inclined to agree. The more I read on horticulture sites I become increasingly convinced that starting with a nutrient-laden organic based soil is more important than feeding schedules and worries about chem burns from being overzealous.

If I do need to resort to chemicals to address a nutrient dificiency I will ceoss that bridge down the road. Is it correct to apply any chemicals at a lower ph as if the grow was a hydro?

"I really think their food comes from light and CO2 and people grossly overestimate how many nutrients these plants need."

It seems some growers of mj think pot plants are somehow unique and require special attention. They are a weed and they seem fairly resilient. I grow killer tomatoes organically and will treat these pot plants similarly.

Aprreciate your input.

FSM

My soil plants get stuck in a light seed starting mix and then into plain FFOF. I don't really feed them until i start seeing the bottom leaf sets yellowing slightly then I'll up-pot them to 5gals with fresh soil and start with 1/4 strength nutes.