question about npk need help confused

hey guys i have a question about the npk value in nutes, i currently use peters pro 24-8-16 for veg but i ordered some flora nova because i heard it was really good for weed but the npk on that is only 4-8-7, why is it so low and i noticed that a lot of good fertilizers (like fox farm) have low npk values so why so low

They refer to the concentration.

Basically they're 'watered down', which means you have to buy more. Which lines the pockets of the makers.

Frugal growers buy dry/powder nutrients and mix/add the water themselves.

keep in mind that 555, 101010, 202020 are all the same. the difference is how much you need to dilute to get the right strength.

ok thanks guys

iM glad you brought this up because i was really wondering about that.. So wut do you want to shoot for? my food says 2-6-6 how do i know if my plants need more and if i double the dosage does that mean they are getting 4-12-12 ?

edwardvanhalen123456 said:

hey guys i have a question about the npk value in nutes, i currently use peters pro 24-8-16 for veg but i ordered some flora nova because i heard it was really good for weed but the npk on that is only 4-8-7, why is it so low and i noticed that a lot of good fertilizers (like fox farm) have low npk values so why so low

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I have to disagree a little slightly with the other responses.
The numbers are not the amounts, but the ratios or proportions in relationship to the other ingredients.l
The three numbers you mention 24-8-16 are the "parts" or relation of the three main ingredients, nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. You have 3 times (24) the nitrogen than you do the ( phosphorus. This is the relationship or ratio that you want and need to VEG. The higher nitrogen is excellent for leaf growth. 24-8-16 is the same as
3-1-2, or 12-4-8, just differnet STRENGHTS, but SAME proportions.
For Flowering, or Blooming, you want less nitrogen and higher phosphorus.
The nute you mention, 4-8-7 says there is twice the phosphorus than there is nitrgen,(8 to 4) telling me that the Flora Nova you have is the FLOWERING nute.

I googled Flora Nova to learn there are two types, one for Flowering, or Blooming, and one for Vegging, or Growing.
On one advertisers site,at GH, the 2nd google hit, I saw:

FloraNova from General Hydroponics is a super concentrated Nutrient. You need only 10 ml per gallon! FloraNova comes in two formulations: FloraNova Grow (7-4-10) works as a specialized nutrient for rapidly growing plants during the structural and foliar growth phase as FloraNova Bloom (4-8-7) does during the flowering and fruiting stage.

So you have the FloraNova Bloom (4-8-7) for Flowering.

I believe these numbers also have to do with nutrients that are readily available. Chem nutes are highly available, while organics are present but take more time to be available. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe this factors in.

Explanation of NPK and fertilizers

Understanding NPK (Nitrogen, Phosphorous, and Potash (Potassium)) ratings on lawn and plant fertilizers is an important part of deciding whether or not fertilizers are appropriate or even necessary for your garden and landscaping.

This article is a basic guide to understanding what NPK numbers mean with fertilizers, and what levels of Nitrogen, Phosphorous, and Potash are really appropriate for your lawn, and garden plants.

In most cases, important gardening practices such as aerating and composting are much better for your garden than using chemical fertilizers. Also note that higher NPK levels don’t necessarily mean healthier plants.

What You Should Know about NPK and Fertilizers

Chemical fertilizers and organic fertilizers show their nutrient content with three bold numbers on the package. These numbers represent three different compounds: Nitrogen, Phosphorous, and Potash (Potassium), which we can also describe with the letters N-P-K. The three numbers listed on fertilizer labels correspond to the percentage of these materials found in the fertilizer.




stole this from an article http://www.cleanairgardening.com/npkexplanation.html



liquid formulas like floranova are highly concentrated so it takes a lot less... a little goes a long way... dry formulas are fine too... just depends on the grower really... i use some liquid and some dry myself...

Hey thanks for the help guys

Typical organic nutrients require microbe activity to break them down and are slow-release, and sometimes longer lasting. It's usually harder to burn a plant with organics, while it's relatively easy with 'synthetic' or chemically processed nutrients which are usually immediately bioavailable.

Most experienced growers choose dry(usually crystalline if its all-in-one like MG) ingredients and mix together their own fertilizer, as it's usually cheaper and much more fine-tunable.