Synthetic vs Organic fertilizer

I'm new to growing and I've been using a pre-mixed "super soil" made by TGA and growing in a small tent under an Area 51 LED light. The instructions on the super soil stated that there was no need to add anything to it. So, that's what I did on the first run. But, after I harvested, I had a lot of soil left over and I felt like it could be used again if I "recharged" it. But I realized I would have to buy a lot of amendments to recharge it, so I decided to just use the depleted super soil as if it was regular potting soil and then use some synthetic fertilizer that I had lying around from orchid growing, as a source of nutrients. I had a full jar of 30-10-10 and a full jar of 10-30-30. I also had a bottle of Schultz liquid plant food (10-15-10).

I used the 30-10-10 for veg.

I switched to the Schultz in late veg and into early flower.

I switched to the 10-30-30 after week 3 of flower.

Everything was diluted to lower-than-recomended strength.

The growth has been incredible! The plants seem to love these synthetic fertilizers. They are growing better than they did on the first run with just straight super soil! And the smell and resin production is stronger, too.

My plan is to flush with straight water during the last two weeks of flower to get rid of any excess salts, but everything, so far, indicates that synthetic fertilizer works great and this seems to be a great way to get the most out of that expensive super soil! By the way, after this run, I plan on recycling the soil into my outdoor vegetable garden, so nothing is going to be wasted.

Some gardeners say that the plants can't differentiate nitrogen from synthetic fertilizer from nitrogen from manure or whatever…because the element is the element…nitrogen is nitrogen, etc…so it makes no difference what the source is as long as the plant gets the elements it needs to make roots/foliage/flowers. Is that correct?

I also switched to Miracle Gro for my outdoor garden this year because we got a late start with a lot of our plants. The extra boost of the synthetic fertilizer is remarkable. And all the tomatoes taste and look great, too.

I tried to be an old hippy organic guy, but these results with the synthetics are kinda swaying my opinion.

What am I missing? Will I grow a third arm from smoking weed I grew with synthetic fertilizer?

Whatever floats your boat. Good to try different methods and go with what you like.

I will say that with organics your main risk of screwing up your plants is early in the life cycle. Your dirt is either well composted with good ratios or it isn't. With synthetic nutes you are more likely to screw up your plants in flowering as salts build up and the plants get more finicky on what they want to eat.

tstick said:

I tried to be an old hippy organic guy, but these results with the synthetics are kinda swaying my opinion. What am I missing? Will I grow a third arm from smoking weed I grew with synthetic fertilizer?

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Brother - I'm more or less an old hippy that grew bagseed with Miracle Grow for ..... lets say a couple decades. Naw... 4 decades if I was honest.

I did grow a third arm back in the 90's and though it's hard to find shirts that fit I find that I can drive and masturbate and roll a joint and pick my nose all at the same time.

The downside is getting fingerprinted. They have to use a second blotter sheet and then they charge you for that, having 3 hands and all.. it fuks up their game.

So I'd say Organic is the way to go.

Seriously..... AIM

I'm biased. Organic. Fuck that chemical shit Bruh.

Cool story bro.

215roller said:

I'm biased. Organic. Fuck that chemical shit Bruh.

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Well, the point I was trying to make is that the chemicals are the same wherever they are derived from -as far as the plant is concerned. There's no such thing as synthetic nitrogen or organic nitrogen. It's just nitrogen.

And animals that make manure -such as bats, chickens and cows, also eat crops that are full of pesticides and they poop out that stuff and then it gets used to make "organic" fertilizers. Alfalfa meal is made from alfalfa that is grown by farmers who use pesticides and herbicides. Kelp meal is derived from polluted water. Blood meal is taken from animals that have been genetically modified….I guess I'm suggesting that nobody can really say what else is in those things in whatever trace amounts….So the whole "bad chemical" argument could be made for organic, too….couldn't it? I mean, unless you tend the bats, chickens and cows, yourself…right?

most of the produce you buy in a grocery store is grown with synthetic fertilizers. Don't sweat it. The plant takes nitrogen up in the same form, regardless of whether its from an organic or synthetic source. Synthetics just allow you to have better control over the dose.

Dry salts with hydroponics is great because you know exactly what goes in, and you have a much better idea of impurities (which is much lower than with organics. put that in your pipe and smoke it, voodoo growers! BAM!!!).

tstick said:

Well, the point I was trying to make is that the chemicals are the same wherever they are derived from -as far as the plant is concerned. There's no such thing as synthetic nitrogen or organic nitrogen. It's just nitrogen.

And animals that make manure -such as bats, chickens and cows, also eat crops that are full of pesticides and they poop out that stuff and then it gets used to make "organic" fertilizers. Alfalfa meal is made from alfalfa that is grown by farmers who use pesticides and herbicides. Kelp meal is derived from polluted water. Blood meal is taken from animals that have been genetically modified….I guess I'm suggesting that nobody can really say what else is in those things in whatever trace amounts….So the whole "bad chemical" argument could be made for organic, too….couldn't it? I mean, unless you tend the bats, chickens and cows, yourself…right?

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I prefer synthetic but with experience with organics I dont think it'd make much difference maybe they'd be better, went organic once at the insistence of a friend of mine, good quality great taste but the yeild was pissy , it wasnt a good year anyhow but because I didnt see any difference in potency from previous years and saw a decress in yeild I figured why screw around learning to grow differently when I was satisfied with the results of synthetic fertilizer's. Now last time I used basically every product from advanced nutes at one point or another, my first indoor and they were a little crowded so the yeild suffered slightly but still, I'd say about 8 times heavier per plant then outdoors with organic and I had multiple people say it was the best they ever smoked and they didn't know where it came from so it's not like the pressure was on to make me feel warm and fuzzy. Do a flush with synthetic's just to be a little more natural, if it's for retail I can almost guarantee the consumer 1. Might not know what a flush is 2. Dosnt care 3. cant tell either way, for yourself its just preference what you do

I agree...nutrients are nutrients. I choose organic primarily for the the taste. Plus with organics it is not necessary to flush before harvest. Some prefer to flush in any case, but as a person who has harvested with and without flushing...it really isn't necessary with organics. I use composite teas for fertilizer..it has never let me down. But as previously stated..ultimately only YOU can determine what is the best method for YOU. There is no single method to grow and get good results.

Tried organics my first run (Earth Juice). Got good results, but what a headache. Brewing teas multiple times a week gets old fast. Using Jacks Citrus FeED right now, and just the easiness and time saved makes it worth it. I highly doubt I'll ever try organics again.

I love it when people say "nutrients are nutrients", then make comments suggesting otherwise like "you don't need to flush with organic" and "i do organic for taste".

Such a contradiction.

Synthetic nutes are ready for uptake imediatly.
organic there is usually a lag time.

215roller said:

I'm biased. Organic. Fuck that chemical shit Bruh.

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lol, do you magically think the nitrogen atom present in bottled nutes is any different to the nitrogen atom present in bird / bat / worm / dog / cow / sheep / w/e animal shit?? to say organic is not " chemical " based is pretty naive imvho..

Fuck organic nutes, overpriced weak sauce. Lol

j am organic mixed soil let it sit for a few Months and using it now.i dont have 1 def not 1 problem perfect beautiful plants I make a tea every 2 weeks takes about 5 minuyes to make and other then that I water with water. No measuring no nodda nothin

I almost always have deficiencys in organic.
They work themselves out sometimes without my help.
I kind of look at as part of the learning curve.
Knowing exactly when to add what is tricky for me.
especially because im usually trying out a different product and have to figure out how long it takes to become available

Tried all ways. Straight organic, straight synthetic, synthetic base with organic boosters and organic base with synthetic boosters.

For me Organic base with synthetic boosters works the best for me, the taste and yield. (promixbx+20%perlite)

as an organig man for years i will say its over rated.

but your success with 30-10-10 is luck. I grew some real good stuff in the 90's with just schultz too, but could reproduce results.

if you are going to be stubborn stick to like 1/4 strength and not every time. get a good 3 part like cutting edge and some botanicare cal mag and call it a day

Yes, I have been diluting the synthetics to about 1/4 of recommended strength and I also pre-water with just plain water to wet the soil and then I apply the diluted synthetic. Keep in mind, I'm using depleted super soil as my base, so I'm sure there are some residual micronutrients, etc. left in there.

I'm totally sold on the Schultz liquid. It's easy to use and NPK and micronutrients seem to be in a ratio that the plants like.