I don't understand nute strength

I am not using an EC meter or measuring in ppms and am doing an outdoor soil grow.

I have four different nutes:

10-7-18 powder
3-1.5-4 organic liquid
0-7-0 guano
0-0-5 organic liquid potassium

So, I don't understand what the numbers mean, exactly.

Is it intended to mean that the 0-0-5 for instance is 5 percent potassium if you mix it at the strength recommended on the label(1/2 tbsp gallon).

The recommended amount to use doubles for every gallon water used. Does that mean if you need to give a single plant two gallons of water you use double the label amount in order to deliver that level of potassium(0-0-5) to that plant?

The levels recommended per gallon on the phosphorus(guano) is 2-3 tbsp and potassium 1/2 tbsp(.25 oz) per gallon of water. Does that mean to mix it that way in plain water gives you a nute strength of 0-7-5 in that gallon? and if you mix that same amount in two gallons of water is it 0-3.5-2.5? are you diluting the amount of nutrition your plant receives or just delivering the same amount to the plant through an increased amount of water?

I'm just not sure I understand how much to feed my plant or how much should be enough. I don't want to overdo it.

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/MG090

good graph at the bottom

The numbers on a bag of fertilizer tell you the percentages of available nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium found in the bag. So 12-8-10 fertilizer has 12-percent nitrogen, 8-percent phosphorous and 10-percent potassium. In a 100-pound bag, therefore, 12 pounds is nitrogen, 8 pounds is phosphorous and 10 pounds is potassium. The other 70 pounds is known as ballast and has no value to the plants.

Howstuffworks "What is fertilizer and why do plants need it?"

I'm not trying to make something simple, complicated. But I'm watering a 5+ foot female in about 7 gallons of soil. I think I am going to have to start watering with more than my usual gallon at a time because she start drooping all of a sudden. I don't know what the right amount of nutes are. I want to go a little less than medium ferts for a while but not sure how to calculate or estimate it. None of the nutes I'm using are that strong and I'm not using much of the 10-7-18 at a time(1/4 tsp) and might not use it anymore anyway. But generally speaking if the instructions of something you are going to use recommend a tablespoon per gallon of water it doesn't mean they want you to or that it is right to double that if you use two gallons of water per plant, right?

Also, do plants really start drinking a lot more water when they start flowering?

relax I doubt you can do much to harm a plant that size, drooping can come from ovder watering as well as being dry.
I doubt it is dry.

LURP said:

relax I doubt you can do much to harm a plant that size, drooping can come from ovder watering as well as being dry.
I doubt it is dry.

Click to expand...

You have a point. Maybe 1 gallon water into 7 gallons soil a few days ago should have been enough that it did not dry out in just three days especially if it was healthy looking then? The leaves look different than the pics I saw of plants lacking water and maybe more similar to pics of plants over watered. Under watered plants leaves start to look emaciated and most of these leaves still looked green and lush, just real heavy. I watered it with a gallon last night and planned to go back with 2.5 gallons tonight. Maybe I do need to give it a couple days. At any rate, I will snap a couple photos tonight

I wouldn't be so paranoid but this is my harvest. If I can get this girl to live and thrive another 60 days I'm set.

Thanks again.

Yeah let it sit pot plants survived for millenia with out you dotting on them just fine

VirginHarvester said:

I'm not trying to make something simple, complicated. But I'm watering a 5+ foot female in about 7 gallons of soil. I think I am going to have to start watering with more than my usual gallon at a time because she start drooping all of a sudden. I don't know what the right amount of nutes are. I want to go a little less than medium ferts for a while but not sure how to calculate or estimate it. None of the nutes I'm using are that strong and I'm not using much of the 10-7-18 at a time(1/4 tsp) and might not use it anymore anyway. But generally speaking if the instructions of something you are going to use recommend a tablespoon per gallon of water it doesn't mean they want you to or that it is right to double that if you use two gallons of water per plant, right?

Also, do plants really start drinking a lot more water when they start flowering?

Click to expand...

If I understand your question correctly yes you would double the amount if mixed with 2 gallons of water. Lets say I have a five gallon bucket of water to water all my soil plants. if it says 2 tablespoons per gallon you would add 10 tablespoons, now if you wanna do 1/4 strength just divide by 4, so 2.5 tablespoons per gallon. I use Botanicare nutes and I use them full strength in my soil and hydro and have never had a problem. But you have to keep in mind that if your soil has time release food then a nute schedule and nute amount go right out the window.

Plants start drinking a ton more as they get bigger.