chunky foxfarm ferts

[michaelpeg]

Does anyone have experience using foxfarm grow big after it has gotten chunky? is this a very bad idea?

[headshake]

how old is it? did you shake the piss out of it?

-shake

[michaelpeg]

it is about 2 years old. I do shake it before using it, the chunks seem quite large as i can feel them knocking around when i shake it.

[JeffersonBud]

I have been told to use them no longer then 1 year after purchase.

[michaelpeg]

ok thanks, i guess i may have to get rid of them and get some fresh bottles.

[headshake]

maybe rusty will chime in, but i'm with JB on this one. i'll see whatelse i can find though.

-shake

[michaelpeg]

thanks alot

[JeffersonBud]

Found this letter from Fox Farm...

Hello,
Our liquid nutrients do go bad except the Big Bloom. Tiger Bloom and Grow Big have a life of 2 to 3 years but Big Bloom gets better with age. After 2 to 3 years the microbial activity starts to die, the product probably still has some nutrients left, but not all that it had. Let us know if thereâ??s any other questions, have a nice day.

Customer Service
FoxFarm Soil & Fertilizer Co.
P.O. Box 787
Arcata,CA 95518
(707)-443-4369
(707)-443-7645

I would say that it could last 2 years if stored in perfect dark conditions.
I know that Botanicare says to ditch after 1 year. If they look bad or are clumpy I would buy new ones

[michaelpeg]

thanks again, I was actually waiting on a response from foxfarm.

[Rusty Trichome]

When the nutrients and salts start to congeal, minor deficiencies can start to occur, and watch ingoing ph on feeding day. I just shake the crap out of it till it sounds like there are more chunks than liquid. If I could afford to buy fresh every 6 months, I would. But I have never really had a major issue in using somewhat chunky FF nutes. When the nutes start getting old, check for ph swings after mixing and watch runoff ph a tad closer.

Keep in mind I use Soil Syrup (humic acid) after every monthly mini flush, (1:1 ph'd water to pot volume) and I have drastically cut back on the Big Bloom through the entire grow, (1 tsp:gallon, twice a week) and replaced it with molasses, (1 tsp:gallon, twice per week) which also effectively and cheaply replaces the Botanicare Sweet and CalMag I used to use in flower.

[michaelpeg]

thats what i was waiting for, thanks rusty I will continue using the nutes for my current grow but i think i will go with fresh ones next grow. It's too bad they come in such big bottles, I have used maybe 1/15 of the bottle.

[Rusty Trichome]

Houseplants love it too, but yeah...half quart bottles would be cool.

[savage7garden]

..ya'll are not using the whole bottle??

if i'm following the ff feeding schedule am I using too much?

a liter of big bloom would last about one grow for a few plants with a 6 month seed to harvest time...so is the recommened amount too much for cannabis? perhaps it's just because 6 months is not common...anyway, i digress..just wondering if I should reduce....

does it affect the taste? or have any other adverse affect?

thanks :rasta:
~savage

[Rusty Trichome]

It depends. If 6 plants spend 6 months in veg indoors, 1 liter of Grow Big sounds excessive. Or are you talking 1/2 liter of Grow Big for veg, and 1/2 liter of Tiger Bloom for flower...totaling 1 liter for that time period?

How much of the Tiger Bloom do you use, and how long do they spend in flower?

Have you seen the FF feeding schedule they have available? (the link is in my signature)

Yes. Excessive nutes will affect flavor, stunt and burn the plants, affect yield...

[savage7garden]

It depends. If 6 plants spend 6 months in veg indoors, 1 liter of Grow Big sounds excessive. Or are you talking 1/2 liter of Grow Big for veg, and 1/2 liter of Tiger Bloom for flower...totaling 1 liter for that time period?

I just have one really BIG plant 30 days into flower. I was referring to Big Bloom and I'm now using it at full strength, according to FF schedule (1tbs/gal). I am using all 3 ff nutes according to schedule. my plant looks healthy (check out my grow log if you got the time) but I'm worried about the unseen (it's in my nature) :smokin:



How much of the Tiger Bloom do you use, and how long do they spend in flower?


1 1/2 tsp / gallon and I'm watering every other day, feeding every other watering. On the days I don't feed, I use 1 tsp blackstrap/gallon.

the strain is unknown, but the grower I got my seeds from quoted me 90 days for flowering...


Have you seen the FF feeding schedule they have available? (the link is in my signature)

Thanks!! I have a sheet that I picked up when I purchased the nutes, but I will def. check out the one in your sig.


Yes. Excessive nutes will affect flavor, stunt and burn the plants, affect yield...

good to know... does excessive nutes usually manifest intomething visible?


thanks for the help rusty


my apologies michael, for jacking your thread...this was an incidental tangent ~

[Rusty Trichome]

1 1/2 tsp / gallon and I'm watering every other day, feeding every other watering. On the days I don't feed, I use 1 tsp blackstrap/gallon.

And it's still alive?

Way too much. Their schedule says 2 tsp Tiger Bloom per gallon per week. Which is 1 tsp twice a week...or approximately .5 tsp per gallon every other day.

I do the 1 tsp per gallon, twice a week. I then use properly ph'd water in-between, and 1 tsp per gallon of molasses on a non-nute day. (once a week if using Big Bloom at full-strength...twice a week if using BB at 1/2 strength)

[michaelpeg]

my apologies michael, for jacking your thread...this was an incidental tangent ~

no worries man i was finished with it anyways.

[savage7garden]

And it's still alive?

Way too much. Their schedule says 2 tsp Tiger Bloom per gallon per week. Which is 1 tsp twice a week...or approximately .5 tsp per gallon every other day.

I do the 1 tsp per gallon, twice a week. I then use properly ph'd water in-between, and 1 tsp per gallon of molasses on a non-nute day. (once a week if using Big Bloom at full-strength...twice a week if using BB at 1/2 strength)

whoa! I interpreted the ff feeding schedule differently, thinking that it was recommending 2 tsp/gallon each feeding during week 7 (or whatever week)

so ya, sounds like I need to cut waaaaay back! I'm so glad I asked and even more so that you answered.

can't believe she's looking as good as she is, considering how much I've been overfeeding..I do see the leaf tips starting to curl slightly and the smallest part of the tips are burnt...you're my hero today, man!!

thanks a bushel, Rusty :jointsmile:

~savage

[savage7garden]

day 30 of flowering

and I can finally attach pics!!! YAY

[michaelpeg]

id say they are getting a little too much nitrogen judging by the very dark leaves, but much better that any plants i have grown.

[savage7garden]

hey michael, thanks for the insight. after I read your post yesterday, I tested the nute levels and WHOA! is all I can say!!! the nitrogen levels were off the chart. P and K were high too, but nowhere near N.

I just figured out I've been overfeeding (thanks Rusty), so over the next week I will be flushing and readjusting nute levels. hopefully this will help solve my pH fluctuations too!

~savage

Its not what you gather, but what you scatter, that makes life meaningful~

[polishpollack]

Savage you might cut back on nitrogen getting into bloom cycle cuz I suspect that has reduced your bud formation. At 30 day flower those plants should be done and your plants show good crystal formation but not much budding. Otherwise cool grow.

[michaelpeg]

i've never had a plant be done after 30 days of flowering, I dont think that there are any strains that finish that fast.