Do you follow fertilizer charts? Ever have issues?

Driver733

Well-Known Member
I am wondering how many growers follow the fertilizer charts? Specifically, the chart will typically recommend giving a certain amount of grow fertilizer thru the veg stage, then switch to a certain amount of bloom fertilizer for the flower phase of growth. See this chart for flora nova for reference: https://generalhydroponics.com/wp-content/uploads/assets/FloraNova-Professional-1-Part-Nutrient-System-Feed.pdf

My issue is whenever I follow the chart, and switch from grow to bloom, I have deficiencies usually around week 5 of flower. However, my current crop I mixed grow and bloom, starting at 75% grow and just 25% bloom feed for the first 2 weeks of flower, then 50/50 until the end of week 4, then 25/75 until the end of week 6, and finally now 100% bloom feed for the last few weeks.

The results have been amazing, no deficiencies at all, green and healthy right thru middle of week 7 now. They are so top heavy I had to order a 2nd net to hold them up. They are super sticky, smell great and look really healthy. Once I switched to 100% bloom feed, I started to notice a little discoloration in the fan leaves, just like I would typically see in week 4 or 5. Those deficiencies, however, did not look like a nitrogen deficiency but more like p or k deficiencies. I am convinced the lack of nitrogen was the cause, and that the bloom feed does not provide nearly enough nitrogen, but why not?

My question is why do the manufacturers not recommend a blend, and instead the chart shows switching from one to the other? Does anyone else blend the two? I've never seen this issue discussed before, but if it has been well covered already, please post a thread link.

Thank you!
 

DanKiller

Well-Known Member
Most charts don't cut veg nutes entirely, but just lower them as flowering progress.
In all stages they need all the elements, just more or less depends on the stage your in.

Bro science is working over times in the nutes industry, do take what they say in the chart with a grain of salt
Best is to buy a simple ec meter and blend to your requirements according to what the plant shows you.
 

pegboy

Well-Known Member
Basically I will follow the weekly suggestions but less and then only up the dose when the plants tell me. Different strains/cultivars can be vastly different with their nutrient needs as well. Adjust accordingly.
 

bigboerboel

Well-Known Member
Fertilizer companies don't care about your plants.. They care about selling fertilizers..
This cracked me up. Of course all business owners or shareholders want to sell their products. That’s the same whether it’s nutes, paper towels, or baby food. But, how long do you really think they’d stay in business if they didn’t prioritize their customers needs. E.g. Fox Farms feeding schedule gets blasted on this forum. If their feeding schedule killed our plants we wouldn’t buy it again and they’d go out of business. They don’t sell these products without R&D and application of basic botany science.

Yes, some genetics do better with less nutes, but some need more. I’ve followed the FF soil feeding schedule at 100% for years and have always been super successful, and never had a toxicity issue. I use everything on the schedule too, not just the trio (i.e. Bembe, Kelp Me Kelp You, Wholly Mackerel, Ca Ching, etc). As long as you have at least one pure watering between feeding the schedule are great help.
 

gooshpoo

Well-Known Member
The brand I use doesn't give me a feeding schedule just a here this is what you mix for what ever target ec you want.
 

bigboerboel

Well-Known Member
These plants are really amazing. About three years ago I had an extra seedling. I just planted it out in the avocado orchard in the dirt. I never watered it or fed it anything. It was eventually infested with mites, but grew huge with decent buds. So funny that We treat them like children.
 

tstick

Well-Known Member
Well, I agree that we treat these plants like children a lot of the time...and that's because we want them to grow up, be productive and not become infested. If they were just going end up as decorative yard plants, then yeah, no need to coddle them. However, if they are going to end up being smoked or vaporized, then they're going to get treated like Little Lord Fauntleroy, as far as I'm concerned! :)
 

Chunky Stool

Well-Known Member
This cracked me up. Of course all business owners or shareholders want to sell their products. That’s the same whether it’s nutes, paper towels, or baby food. But, how long do you really think they’d stay in business if they didn’t prioritize their customers needs. E.g. Fox Farms feeding schedule gets blasted on this forum. If their feeding schedule killed our plants we wouldn’t buy it again and they’d go out of business. They don’t sell these products without R&D and application of basic botany science.

Yes, some genetics do better with less nutes, but some need more. I’ve followed the FF soil feeding schedule at 100% for years and have always been super successful, and never had a toxicity issue. I use everything on the schedule too, not just the trio (i.e. Bembe, Kelp Me Kelp You, Wholly Mackerel, Ca Ching, etc). As long as you have at least one pure watering between feeding the schedule are great help.
I know a lot of people who started with Fox Farms, then transitioned to something better.

Ocean Forest is way too expensive -- and it's not even organic. :roll:
 

conor c

Well-Known Member
Thing with the charts is there always too high nute companies are in the business to sell you more nutes after all
 

Tolerance Break

Well-Known Member
This cracked me up. Of course all business owners or shareholders want to sell their products. That’s the same whether it’s nutes, paper towels, or baby food. But, how long do you really think they’d stay in business if they didn’t prioritize their customers needs. E.g. Fox Farms feeding schedule gets blasted on this forum. If their feeding schedule killed our plants we wouldn’t buy it again and they’d go out of business. They don’t sell these products without R&D and application of basic botany science.

Yes, some genetics do better with less nutes, but some need more. I’ve followed the FF soil feeding schedule at 100% for years and have always been super successful, and never had a toxicity issue. I use everything on the schedule too, not just the trio (i.e. Bembe, Kelp Me Kelp You, Wholly Mackerel, Ca Ching, etc). As long as you have at least one pure watering between feeding the schedule are great help.
Or they just tell you what it is you need and if it doesn't work, you aren't doing it right.

Case and point foodpyramid-76674854.png
 
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