Osmocote Plus Plant Food: Discuss Its Use With Cannabis Here!

[Elbee]

I've been using Osmocote for years in flower and vegetable gardens....which is how I got the idea to use it for our favorite plants.

The main difference is that OC+ has all the micronutes and a bit more nitrogen, which is what our plants like.

BTW forget the crap you heard about nitrogen inhibiting flowering.....the amount of N in OC+ isn't enough to burn the plant.....let alone stop the flowering hormones.

There are plenty of pics around here to prove that statement. For some reason, whenever I tell people I use Osmocote, they have seizures, begin foaming at the mouth muttering, "can't flush," "won't flower....nitrogen" "no control....." and other nonsensical utterances.

Bottom line, OC+ is merely a better formulation than their old products.

I've been growing a vegetable garden, green house plants, and ornamental s for a while now and I'm somewhat, educated in plant science/horticulture. So when I first started growing mj, in April, it did not make any sense, why I needed to know a contradictory set of, feeding/diagnosis/environmental rules.
It turns out you don't. They're plants, if you treat them like plants, they'll grow like weeds. I posted this in my journal but I'd like to re-post it here, because I believe it applies, and will help when planning to grow ANYTHING

Notice OC+ has all the mineral elements except chlorine

 

[IrishBoy]

That's some pretty solid advice right there.

If you have a good source of micronute, you can use the OC 14/14/14 and it will do great. Same with the DM.

However, the optimal NPK for our plants is 3=1=2. Some would add that during middle bloom 2-1-3 is optimal, but the plants will sort everything out as long as they're not over fed.

The important thing is to have enough phosphorus during the early weeks of veg, in order to establish a good root system, and then to have enough N throughout the cycle to establish healthy leaves.

Leaves and roots=buds.

i agree about the roots, and everything i have read says the 3-1-2 is the best, but after seeing how much better the 13-13-13 is doing i am not to sure about that claim anymore. the 13-13-13 is growing some fat ass buds for me over my close to 3-1-2 ferts

 

[Doc Bud]

i agree about the roots, and everything i have read says the 3-1-2 is the best, but after seeing how much better the 13-13-13 is doing i am not to sure about that claim anymore. the 13-13-13 is growing some fat ass buds for me over my close to 3-1-2 ferts

Well, that's true.
I can't help but wonder if the OC+ didn't release in a 6 1 2 pattern with the heat?

I can't wait to see what your winter garden does.

 

[IrishBoy]

OC+

DM RED

DM Purple

All of them

Bottom line is TRF kick ass, the ones that are following my thread know what these girls have been threw and how TRF and leds helped my girls big time, all of those dead leaves are from before the TRF were added. 95+F their whole life pretty much and their still kicking.

 

[Doc Bud]

Those plants look like ancient, caveman Cannabis, giant sized like everything was back then......

I can't wait till you chop them......what are the triches like?

 

[IrishBoy]

Well, that's true.
I can't help but wonder if the OC+ didn't release in a 6 1 2 pattern with the heat?

I can't wait to see what your winter garden does.

very good point! i never thought about that. i could be very true.
the heat really throws a curve ball with TRF, but atleast with this grow we learned some very important info on heat and TRF and witch one reacts to the heat better.

once the temps dropped down all the buds started packing on in turbo mode.

in a few weeks when i get my new lights in my new tent, i might do 2 DM purple and 2 OC+ side x side but put them across from each other instead of having both OC+ on the same side and both DM on the same side, that way everything will be equal. so the would make a (X)

i dont want to add the Red DM in their because i need to add Cal and dont want to have to mix two different Res's and make more work just to feed 1-2 plants. i rather keep those plants on a separate grow and just add the Cal to one set of plants only, that way i do over do it with the Cal on the OC+ or Dm purple plants.

i also need to start the girls with the TRF from day one, since these ones weren't vegged with TRF's but only flowered.

 

[IrishBoy]

Those plants look like ancient, caveman Cannabis, giant sized like everything was back then......

I can't wait till you chop them......what are the triches like?

for real, defiantly different.lol i will say i hate growing tall ass plants indoors, what a pain in the ass.lol.. they had so much veg time their bushy as hell.

the trics are still clear and a few cloudy. the TRF seem to make the girls bud a little longer but also pack on that weight in that time. i think all the other shit we have added to our plants dont help and just put them into super speed ripen mode. i have some bloom additives but have know desire to add them, i think these TRF's go great by their self with some carbs and maybe something to add resin. i will say still at least another 3 weeks

 

[The Lurker]

i agree about the roots, and everything i have read says the 3-1-2 is the best, but after seeing how much better the 13-13-13 is doing i am not to sure about that claim anymore. the 13-13-13 is growing some fat ass buds for me over my close to 3-1-2 ferts

I threw some info on Phosphorus uptake out on SS's thread a few weeks back. Bioavailability especially near the root zone isn't nearly as good as most people think, hence the traditional use of more and current recommendation for such from major agricultural universities (unless you're in a traditional, pure liquid hydro (recirculating/NFT/DWC etc.) environment). If you feed a little more than needed, plants won't absorb the extra (see post for more). Better to have a bit more available, than too little.

I'd be inclined to feed more than a 3-1-2 ratio in soil and soil-like media. Great for gettin' the lawn to grow, though...

Those plants look like ancient, Caveman Cannabis, giant sized like everything was back then...

Like the kind Ringo Starr and Barbara Bach musta smoked?

Gawd, that movie came out in 1981...must be gettin' old...

 

[Setting Sun]

I'm not sure you have to be "organic" but the complexities of soil is where the taste comes from.

I was talking with a guy today who said that bat guano grows really good pot....but good old steer manure brings out better taste. I don't know if that's true of not....but I can't recall ever having a conversation where someone argued their hydro bud tasted better than good soil bud.

I think a good quality soil, set up like a true organic grow, is going to give the best taste, whether you supplement it with a non-organic fert or not.

Just opinion at this point, but I can certainly say that my current soil grow smells far stronger than my hempy grows did. Taste is a function of smell......

I know you've drawn parallels between the wine industry and the hopefully burgeoning legal marijuana industry, and I was thinking today of how wine would taste if it was made from hydroponically grown grapes.

I bet "complex" would not be an adjective used to describe it.

I'm not dissing hydro at all, but each grow method has it's pros and cons.

 

[Barry Manilow]

I know you've drawn parallels between the wine industry and the hopefully burgeoning legal marijuana industry, and I was thinking today of how wine would taste if it was made from hydroponically grown grapes.

I bet "complex" would not be an adjective used to describe it.

I'm not dissing hydro at all, but each grow method has it's pros and cons.

Ironically most great wines come from very poor soils. Go figure.

 

[molotov]

I have a suggestion which might sound a little strange. What about combining dm red with oc +. 50?50 maybe? You would get the calmag you needed and at the same time get the predictable nutrient release from the dm at all heat levels. (Irish) You would also be getting the micros in there. They are pretty similar in all other aspects. You could probably get the best of both worlds. I'm trying it right now with a couple of them and I'll let you know. I've had the mix for about a week now and everything looks dark green and happy.

 

[Doc Bud]

I have a suggestion which might sound a little strange. What about combining dm red with oc +. 50?50 maybe? You would get the calmag you needed and at the same time get the predictable nutrient release from the dm at all heat levels. (Irish) You would also be getting the micros in there. They are pretty similar in all other aspects. You could probably get the best of both worlds. I'm trying it right now with a couple of them and I'll let you know. I've had the mix for about a week now and everything looks dark green and happy.

That sounds like a a winner to me.

Also, don't be afraid to amend the soil with gypsum. There's your calcium.
If the pH and TA of your water is favorable, you could also amend with some dolomite....there's your cal/mag.

Amend with a micro nutrient mix and you could use any CRF.

 

[Two Tokes]

I have a suggestion which might sound a little strange. What about combining dm red with oc +. 50?50 maybe? You would get the calmag you needed and at the same time get the predictable nutrient release from the dm at all heat levels. (Irish) You would also be getting the micros in there. They are pretty similar in all other aspects. You could probably get the best of both worlds. I'm trying it right now with a couple of them and I'll let you know. I've had the mix for about a week now and everything looks dark green and happy.

I just started combining two of the DM organics together to see how they work. Comparing them to a set of plants in DM Purple.

 

[Hash Hound]

Molotov
I am currently using a 50/50 mix of OC+ and DM red in a hempy. The plant is doing quite well. I was a little gun shy I think. I only used 3+ tbsp total in 4 gl pot. DM at the 2 inch level, 50/50 in the mix, and OC+ right below the root ball on transplant. The mix has since compacted quite a bit, so yesterday I added some more mix with another tbsp of 50/50 to it and some aquarium gravel on top to keep it all down. The temps are little high also. The thermometer at the top of the plants reads about 90 but down at the top of the pot its about 80.

4 weeks into flowering and other than adding a little epsom on occasion, my bud uses a 1/2 strength PureBlendPro every few days.
I might get some molasses today, just read a post about it adding about 10% volume. And besides I do have a sweet tooth.

 

[MountainHigh]

My girls are currently in a mix with soil, added some basic buffering and organic supplements to make a mild "super soil" but am using a Dynamite product I think I love....will only know after a taste test though.

My soil is mixed with a full dose of Mater Magic which is very high calcium source (tomatoes have needs...) and 1/3 dose of OC+ to give multiple sources of nutrients.

I love the results...I know it is the strain, but in 15 days my baby SLH (not the one in the picture below) has grown from under 12" to over 36" and has thick healthy stalks and great color and only thing I see is slight twisting when they first go in. Because of huge stretch so far I added another 1/3 dose of OC+ as a top dressing to water through...don't want to discover deficiencies in the most important part of their growth that matters towards yield.

These are my girls on that mix (My Journal)...the starter stuff bought in bulk was under $100 and if it wasn't being used on a much larger grow would last me the rest of my life...and you guys know now little the TRF's and CRF's cost....

Ahh, so you don't have to click here is my SLH...day 44 of 70.

from little garden.

 

[Grower Z]

What are you guys getting the 3-1-2 ratio from? Plant tissue analysis?

3-1-4 > 3-1-2

I'm re-posting this thread from another forum.

Cannabis tissue nutrient analysis

 

[IrishBoy]

i want to try a 50/50 mix of the DM red and the DM purple, in rather keep it in the family, the purple has all the micros you need, its only lacking the zinc.

 

[lbezphil2005]

My girls are currently in a mix with soil, added some basic buffering and organic supplements to make a mild "super soil" but am using a Dynamite product I think I love....will only know after a taste test though.

My soil is mixed with a full dose of Mater Magic which is very high calcium source (tomatoes have needs...) and 1/3 dose of OC+ to give multiple sources of nutrients.

I love the results...I know it is the strain, but in 15 days my baby SLH (not the one in the picture below) has grown from under 12" to over 36" and has thick healthy stalks and great color and only thing I see is slight twisting when they first go in. Because of huge stretch so far I added another 1/3 dose of OC+ as a top dressing to water through...don't want to discover deficiencies in the most important part of their growth that matters towards yield.

These are my girls on that mix (My Journal)...the starter stuff bought in bulk was under $100 and if it wasn't being used on a much larger grow would last me the rest of my life...and you guys know now little the TRF's and CRF's cost....

Ahh, so you don't have to click here is my SLH...day 44 of 70.

from little garden.

WOW!!

 

[Barry Manilow]

Gorgeous MountainHigh!

To all you great posters, please keep us updated on what you're using and how it's working. My OC+/perlite mix is working great so far. I'm loving life.

 

[Setting Sun]

nice plant MountainHigh!

combining the Mater Magic with the OC+ seems to work really well!