Do you really need to use special cannabis nutrients?

[CaptWineTeeth]

When I go to my local weed growing shop and browse the lights and tents and various bits and bobs I eventually walk past an absolute WALL of fertilizers/nutrients. Granted, some of them are specifically for hydro grows and some are "build your own nutrient profile" brands with all the macro and micro nutrients individually packaged so you can hyper-specialize the amounts you use. But so much of it is named something like "Crazy Gro Max Phat Bud" with some kooky graphic design and an NPK ratio listed on the side. It's a dizzying array.

Am I wrong, that at the end of the day if you use good dirt and sun/light exposure, all you really need to do to make the plant happy and productive is give it the right NPK ratio at the right time of its life (higher N during veg, higher P during early-flower, higher K during late flower)? Sure, you can probably eek out a slightly higher yield and/or a couple % higher THC level if you go all out and micromanage the nutrient, adding molasses and micronutrients and test the pH and whatnot, but as long as you cover the NPK ratio at the right time you're 85% of the way there, right?

For veg I've got 24-8-16 (mixing with water); early flower 10-16-10 (top dress); and late flower 6-8-12 (also top dress; organic, incidentally).

Are all plant foods the same? Meaning, is there a "better" or more bioavailable type of nitrogen/potassium/phosphate in one type of nutrient than another?

 

[Dwight Monk]

A lot of it all flash and bang, Cannabis does have slightly different wants, but that's same as some things in your garden have different wants/needs. It's kind of like seeds, all the flashy graphics have little meaning to quality of the seeds as it just means they have a better graphics artist or put as much money/time into that as the seeds As we live in a Marketers Dream World.

 

[Roy Growin]

Yes, all nutes are equal, but some are more equal than others
I'm done with brand shifting, it's mostly just new marketing, as DM says
Some chelates are a grade more pure and definitely worth it, but the brand doesn't mean shit to a tree
Many these days are designed to be idiot proof - not required unless you're an idiot so use what you've got, carefully

 

[732002]

I have switched to dry organic, Down to Earth, Almost a local company and carried in stores near me.
4-4-4 vegetable, 4-8-4 flower and molasses.