Miracle Gro Liquid Fertilizer? Any good?

[BikerBear]

Hi Folks,

I have read differing opinions/comments about using Miracle Gro soil, but can't seem to find any info here about the liquid fertilizer (maybe not searching the correct forum sections).

It seems that the N-P-K ratios listed on the side of the MG are of the correct amounts recommended. But, what is the general consensus on using it at the main source of nutes?


Many thanks in advance!

 

[AKgramma]

I use the miracle grow brand of nutes in liquid form. I dilute 1/2 the recommended dosage stated on the bottle, and feed once a week. I chose both the garden nutes for edibles for veg and the bloom nutes for early flower. Make sure the label lists some trace elements in addition to the NPK. They need the zinc, Magnesium, calcium and such.

 

[Tead]

I tried it in passive hydro Hempy pots. I was really just not pleased with the results and moved back to traditional nutes.

2cents

 

[AKgramma]

I tried it in passive hydro Hempy pots. I was really just not pleased with the results and moved back to traditional nutes.

2cents

LOL! I thought MG WERE traditional nutes! The high-priced nutes labelled "for cannabis" are IMO overpriced to suck us into thinking their chemicals are better. But, I will concede that hydro is a whole different thing altogether. It has its own rules.

 

[Tead]

LOL! I thought MG WERE traditional nutes!

HAH!!!!!
You're spot on baby! Been growing MJ for so many damn years that my viewpoint has somehow shifted. Scarred for life I am.
And yea... soil provides your micro nutes, but in a neutral medium, one must provide those... and I believe that to be the source of my issues using them.

Thanks for the humor hit.

 

[Tead]

Oh... and I must say... you've been haunting these halls for a while now AKgramma... how is it that you've not dipped your toes into hempy experiment yet?

Sorry... required words from the Right Rev. Tead... self-anointed spiritual leader of the ever rising Hempy tide.

 

[AKgramma]

Oh... and I must say... you've been haunting these halls for a while now AKgramma... how is it that you've not dipped your toes into hempy experiment yet?

Sorry... required words from the Right Rev. Tead... self-anointed spiritual leader of the ever rising Hempy tide.

I live in a mobile home and I don't want to deal with all that water, and chance ruining the carpet and floor. Soil is what I've grown all kinds of plants in for 49 years. I AM gradually trying new stuff, like LED lights (still not sure I like them over CFLs) and experimenting with fluxing one throwaway plant (giving it one more chance to grow some side shoots), and larger pots.

Besides, going hydro is way too complicated. The nute schedules, the fancy equipment, all that changing out of water (reminds me of my tropical fish hobby days), the mess, and the cost are more than I can financially, physically and mentally deal with nowadays.

I'm not making any money off my small grow, so not worth all that just for a few plants.

 

[Tead]

The Right Rev. sees that you've not graced the halls of the Church of Hempy. For shame!
No worries, the Right Rev. carries a virtual pulpit and pews. Settle for a moment... and listen to to a short sermon from on high.

Like you, I was once a heathen wandering in the forests. I was even worse. I once stuck my toes into the evil waters of active hydro.
Lo, they were sad times. Heat from the depths of Hell itself caused me no end of torment. Winged creatures descended upon my potential bounty and devoured it greatly. The Gods of Rot painted my crops with a wicked and smelly concoction. There were many forms of prayers and offerings, but no goodness ever shined upon his worship of the pump.
I returned to my original soil based worship. Some joy was delivered and some harvests were bountiful, but there were always nagging issues with my soil worship. It often supported various winged and non-winged plagues. Offerings made (nutrients) often had a result that was not expected. Speed seemed always to be less that what I wanted.
One day, another grower passed on the Bible of Hempy to him. He read... carefully, not really sure if to believe the words or not. Many aspects of the Hempy religion attracted him. He decided to give it a try... tho shifting religions can be a dicey proposition, so he maintained his soil worship while answering to the Hempy Godz as well.
Tead was a skeptic. As a horrible pessimist at heart, he was sure the new religion would not work. He was sure the bowels of Hell would open to devour his bounty. He was sure that the evil God of Rot would return. He was absolutely positive that it was going to be much more work that he was willing to undertake.
He was wrong... dead wrong and on every point.
He has found that he can collect a much larger bounty much more often and with less effort than his soil based worship.
He now basks in the Holy Light of Growing known as Hempy Pots.

The Right Rev. will now step from the pulpit.


So, yea.... check it out at least.... it has no pumps, lines, whatever. Drain to waste passive hydro. I bet you will quickly see that Hempy Pots are just like a soil grow in management and function. I water on a 3 day schedule using nute... but you can use Osmocote+ if you don't want to mix nutes when you want to feed/water them. I use just perlite as a medium... live in the jungle, and never have (knock on wood) bugs. Works great. Just as easy as soil, with other benefits and no detractors.

 

[AKgramma]

OK, where do I go to learn this new religion?

What is a hempy pot?
What is drain to waste, and how is that different than just runoff into a "saucer"? (In my case, the lids of the bins I plant in)
What are the rules for feeding and watering?

As you see, I am a poor, sinful soul, wallowing in the depths of Black Gold, Spider Mites, and heavy pots.

 

[Tead]

Ahhh the fun begins....

Hempy pots are just plain 'ol solid pots with a small hole drilled in it about 2" (ish...) up from the bottom of the pot. This forms a reservoir at the bottom of the pot. The res at the bottom provides a source of nutrients. When the vegging plant's roots hit the res, their rate of growth really bumps up and from there on, you see speeds on a par with active hydroponic systems.
There are no pumps or exterior reservoirs involved. When you feed, you flush out the remaining fluid at the bottom of the bucket and the reservoir is renewed with a fresh nutrient mix. Between waterings, the perlite (or other neutral medium) wicks water up from the reservoir and keeps the entire area of the medium lightly wet, thus providing nutrients thru the mix.
I feed and water together every 3 days. There are many configurations that have worked for many different people growing in many different environments. Some feed and water together. Some feed once a week and water between. If you use larger pots, you can get away with less waterings, but you'll go thru more water/food for each watering/feeding.

What is drain to waste, and how is that different than just runoff into a "saucer"? (In my case, the lids of the bins I plant in)

It isn't. I dump water in the top... it runs out the hole into saucers that the bucket is sitting in. When the runoff stops, I dump out the saucers. I bet you do exactly the same.

The pots will be somewhat lighter. Folks seem to be able to get away with smaller pots... and the medium is lighter than soil.

I grow in pure perlite. It just doesn't support any bug growth, and I just have not seen any bugs in a very long time. None. I did see a frog one day.... really made me wonder how he got in. Wet soil is a great environment for every bug in the world... especially as a nursery for their young. Hell... it's what Mother Nature provides... of course they thrive in it. Perlite... mostly dry at the very top.... not such an attractive environment for them.

I often say, and I'll utter the words again.... Hempy is more like soil than it is like hydro, except for the results.

 

[DeanB]

I use RO water and use Miracle Grow liquid African Violet plant food with an N-P-K of 7-7-7. It says for use with watering cans and comes in a purple bottle with a yellow cap. Got it at wal-fart. It goes by drops, 7-10 per liter. Try it out, would like to see someone else using it and compare notes. Or whoever reads this.

 

[AKgramma]

I use RO water and use Miracle Grow liquid African Violet plant food with an N-P-K of 7-7-7. It says for use with watering cans and comes in a purple bottle with a yellow cap. Got it at wal-fart. It goes by drops, 7-10 per liter. Try it out, would like to see someone else using it and compare notes. Or whoever reads this.

Does it have the other trace elements?

 

[DeanB]

It has Boron, Copper, Iron, Manganese, and Zinc. I do add Epsom salt when needed.

Sent from my SM-G355M using 420

 

[AKgramma]

Tead, you make a good preacher!

I have the equipment to make one hempy. I only have vermiculite, tho, no perlite. A DIY tutorial I downloaded suggests using a 5:1 mix of both. Might have to make a run to the store.

 

[Tead]

Might I suggest we continue this discussion at my place rather than mucking up other's threads.