Plant Nutrient Nonsense

[RackitMan]

After studying hundreds of product labels and reading several thousand posts, I am convinced that no one (even plant biologists and nutrition companies) have a clue about optimum NPK ratios other than the basic:

More nitrogen in veg
More phosphorous in flower

Of course different plant species have different requirements, but beyond that the science is very slim and the only advice is 'cater to your plants' or 'buy our 10 products for maximum budding'.

Doing a tiny non-comparative grow that takes 4 months to complete tells me nothing at all. I would have to grow one strain in a large greenhouse doing many dozens of variations for years to fine-tune it and even then, I could not be sure that I was close to optimization.

Is this really as far as we have come as a collective or am I missing something ?

RackitMan Reviewed by RackitMan on 07-17-2009. Plant Nutrient Nonsense After studying hundreds of product labels and reading several thousand posts, I am convinced that no one (even plant biologists and nutrition companies) have a clue about optimum NPK ratios other than the basic: More nitrogen in veg More phosphorous in flower Of course different plant species have different requirements, but beyond that the science is very slim and the only advice is 'cater to your plants' or 'buy our 10 products for maximum budding'. Doing a tiny non-comparative grow Rating: 5

[Rusty Trichome]

Perhaps this will help:

Horticultural Myths and Folklore

[RackitMan]

Thanks for the link, but it is not helpful for the basics of the 'correct' balance of macronutrients for our fair ladies.

Every single article I read has a different opinion. I guess we have some generalized idea, but are still groping in the dark, yet the plants forgive us anyway unless we go too far afield.

[Rusty Trichome]

Sorry. Meant to post the link, instead of a link to the link:
Linda Chalker-Scott

"Optimum" N-P-K numbers vary. A couple of 'for-instances':
...an Indoor cannabis plant can have different needs than an outdoor cannabis plant of the same genetics.
...and an indoor sativa can have different needs than an indoor indica.

Learn to 'read' your ladies, and they will tell you their needs. But there's no one nutrient mix will cover all of your plant's needs in one bottle.

If truly concerned...there is a company that charges extra for their "cannabis nutrients" in a marketing effort to 'address' your concerns of cannabis needing 'hyper-specific' nutrients. (Advanced Nutrients)

[LOC NAR on probation]

This ain't rocket science. All the major nutrient companies are made for one plant. Can you guess which one ? They started in Amsterdam.

You could spend a life time trying to figure out what you want, then turn around and find some thing else that works.

As long as the basics are there, Life will find a way to survive.

And the NPK's are there. Just stray far enough from the path and see what your plants tell you.

[killerweed420]

After studying hundreds of product labels and reading several thousand posts, I am convinced that no one (even plant biologists and nutrition companies) have a clue about optimum NPK ratios other than the basic:

More nitrogen in veg
More phosphorous in flower

Of course different plant species have different requirements, but beyond that the science is very slim and the only advice is 'cater to your plants' or 'buy our 10 products for maximum budding'.

Doing a tiny non-comparative grow that takes 4 months to complete tells me nothing at all. I would have to grow one strain in a large greenhouse doing many dozens of variations for years to fine-tune it and even then, I could not be sure that I was close to optimization.

Is this really as far as we have come as a collective or am I missing something ?

This is very true. Everybody and there brother are selling nutes know. Just sticking with the basics usually gets you good plants.