Dr Kynes
Well-Known Member
dont hate bro. Fox Farms sell good stuff, and dont play the mass marketing game, not for altruism, but because their shit is better, and costs more than the bags of half composted sawdust. It would be retarded for them to sit on a shelf next to a bag of raw wood chips with a spray coating of cheap fertilizer at half the price (im looking at you miracle grow and scotts), big box shoppers buy on price, real gardening enthusiasts buy on quality. They might get exposure to lots of potential buyers in wal-mart, but they wouldnt sell diddley without a multi-million dollar ad campaign or slashing their price (and inevitably their quality).It's more the fact that they imply they're a highly exclusive brand that markets solely to smaller businesses. I'm all for the free market, it's deceptive marketing that bothers me.
I want to get into DIY for my hydro. For now, the GH Maxi line isn't too bad though for non organics. Cheap, balanced, and I have never had PH problems other than due to my own negligence topping off the rez on a hot day. I have some happy frog soil I'm trying out for my outdoor, seems to be pretty good so far. I'm using the generic brand organic amendments from my local feed and garden store outside.
No store will ever sell cookies as good as your grandmother's. If she wanted to sell that flavour she would open a small bakery, not an industrial food processing plant. Her cookies will cost 5-10 times more than "Mother's Circus Animals" but they cost more to produce too. Selling to the big store chains requires so many compromises theres lotsa companies who just wont do it. Walmart always ensures that for every increase in their purchasing, the unit cost to them MUST drop. Sure they will buy a lot, but they pay the producer less and less for their work. End Result: producer becomes dependent on Wal-mart because their quality is too low and their margin is too tight to sell to anybody else. Thats also why many manufacturers have walmart only lines, cheap crap sold only to walmart, but their regular shit is the same as it was 30 years ago. Levi's does this, as does Reebok Nike and several other big clothing manufacturers, and (shhhhhhhhh dont tell anybody) food processors. I single out walmart, because they are the worst of the worst in this regard, but EVERY big store chain does this, including Safeway, Raleys, Piggly Wiggly, CVS and Home Depot.
TLDR; but it's for those who dont know.
Moral of the story: If you want the best, buy from a small local shoppe, local butcher, farmer's market or family run business. You're gonna pay way more, but otherwise you'll have to make it yourself.