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

[greenbowlpack]

I just finished harvesting my white widow x big bud plant and emptied the bucket and the plant was very rootbound so much that it held the perlite in place when I took it out of the bucket. Im thinking 3 gallons was to small I vegged the plants for 6 weeks. I think I would have got a larger yield with a 5 gallon bucket. I think it may have been fine if growing from clones in 3 gallons.

 

[beebop76]

Docbud,
I'm on my first grow (WW using 300LED and OC+ in 100% Promix. Have a grow journal going if anybody is interested). Anyhow, I've LST'd the plants and the below is 3 plants. I'm on Day 13 of flower and hopefully this is an example of how a first timer can grow easily with OC+, thanks again for your help. Also, one thing to note is I know you talk about environment being a key, and I've definitely had trouble with high temps which I'm doing my best to control Nevertheless, I am definitely about 10 degrees higher than I want to be and do hit 90 at times. I guess its not recommended to use OC+ in high temp situations but it's been working out for me so far:

 

[Twelve12]

It's been a month now and the little balls still intact. Are they suppose to pop by now? Also, was wondering if they will work for hydro DWC?

 

[TorturedSoul]

Pop? I would think that they would slowly dissolve over time, depending on the amount/frequency of watering and temperature.

As for a CRF/TRF in DWC... I realize that a thread with 790 posts is a bit much to read all in one setting, but the Search this Thread link at the top of each (thread) page still works fine. I found this post.

 

[Doc Bud]

It's been a month now and the little balls still intact. Are they suppose to pop by now? Also, was wondering if they will work for hydro DWC?

The balls will never pop or dissolve. The nutrients inside the little prills leak out slowly over time, but the little resin balls remain.

Your product is working as advertised.

 

[gromper]

the little prills will persist through several recyclings of your soil, but they are pretty much empty and you need to continue to add Osmo each time you replant. I suggest composting your soil between grows and rinsing it out regularly to help the prills release what they might have left, which is usually not very much if you went a full growth cycle with it.


OC+ is the way to go.

I have a friend who weighs about 135 lbs (up from 95 since I first met him and started helping him out) and he wanted to grow his own 6 plants. He is an experienced grower but he wasn't physically up to the constant chem mixing, worrying and expense of high-end grow juices he had used in the past, so I got him to try out OC+.

I told him all he needed to do was water them.

We used some Sunshine #4 and OSMO ONLY for nutrients at a rate of 1 tbsp/gal of soil. We got him started a little late due to a weird spring and all I had at the time were some 8" clones so we really were'nt expecting monster plants. We used 15 gal smart pots - a decent size for outdoors and usually only require watering every other day.

The growth is just short of spectacular. All but one of the 6 plants has thumb-thick main trunks and thick healthy stems everywhere on the plant. The 6th plant is a clone of a Big Buddha Cheese I have been cloning for the last 2 years - this is the last of the line.) I will post some pics in a week or so when I go back to see him.

The plants have had no other nutes and the lower leaves are completely deep green so far. Plants go through the Osmo a little faster in hot weather so it is important to watch these lower leaves to be sure they don't run out of food, and when they do, usually well into flowering, it is a good idea to give them what they need, and if you watch your plants, you should be able to tell what they might need or there are plenty of people in these forums who can help you.

I will post more as his grow continues to mature. He has no internet, or a computer for that matter.

Personally: I have been using Osmo for the last year indoors and I am very pleased with the results. I mostly use soil. Did Hempy with Osmo and it also worked great, but I just like soil.

I usually finish my plants off with FF nutes, if they show any need, in about the last 4 weeks and 1 bottle of each lasts a year or two (fewer applications).

I am sold on the stuff. The lazy growers key to success.

 

[Doc Bud]

Yep.....OC+ is awesome. The finished product is high quality, and it's very hard to screw it up.

 

[TorturedSoul]

the little prills will persist through several recyclings of your soil, but they are pretty much empty and you need to continue to add Osmo each time you replant.

Recently read a random post on a random web-forum (via Google) about OC+. Person had moved to a location which had a vegetable garden area - had not used OC+ there but previous owner had in past years. Person made comment that OC+ prills were found in various stages of "degredation," that some were used-up but others were partial. I believe the general soil characteristics were reported to be dry and sandy. Don't know about the accuracy of the report, was just skimming random search results the other day.

I suggest composting your soil between grows and rinsing it out regularly to help the prills release what they might have left, which is usually not very much if you went a full growth cycle with it.

+1 composting.

Doing what you can to expend any remaining OC+ seems like a good idea, in order to know what you are starting with next time.

I have a friend who weighs about 135 lbs (up from 95 since I first met him and started helping him out)

You are to be commended.

The plants have had no other nutes and the lower leaves are completely deep green so far.

I am wondering about the nitrogen makeup of OC. Urea nitrogen, ammonium nitrogen, some combination/ratio of multiple types, or...? Would someone be kind enough to check and report?

Plants go through the Osmo a little faster in hot weather

Do the plants use more or does the hot weather simply cause more of it to be released into the soil?

I usually finish my plants off with FF nutes, if they show any need, in about the last 4 weeks

How long do you run your plants in the vegetative phase? What is your light-intensity (watts, lumen, or whathaveyou per square feet)? Temperatures routinely observed? What size containers? Are you using SS#4 like your friend, FFOF, or...? Do you finish in the containers that you start in, or up-pot along the way (and if so, from what size to what size)?

 

[Hash Hound]

I gave a freind 2 Papaya clones from my last grow and they are kicking ass. I knew he doesn't have a clue and even watering is a big step for him. So I loaded him up with the same soil I used last time with the OC+/DMred etc. He only gets to check on them once a week. Nothing else at all has been added. They actually grew so big I had to tell him to top them before he ran out of head room. They are budding real nice, and he said samples are great.

 

[tsboss1]

Hey guys I currently have a journal going for growing hempy style with OC+. My plants seem to be showing def's and I was wondering if one of the experienced growers could stop by and point me in the right direction. I recently purchased cal-mag but the plants seem to be looking the same.

 

[hogs]

ts whats the link to your site?

 

[Doc Bud]

Hey guys I currently have a journal going for growing hempy style with OC+. My plants seem to be showing def's and I was wondering if one of the experienced growers could stop by and point me in the right direction. I recently purchased cal-mag but the plants seem to be looking the same.

It could be as simple as adding more OC+.

If you followed instructions with regard to the making of your bucket, the medium and the amount of OC+ to add, you've likely got an iron/zinc deficiency.

It's an easy fix. Go get some Liquinox or Ironite....both at hardware stores that have garden centers....very cheap.

If you tried to improve, modify, or merely ignored instructions, I'll need to see pictures.

 

[tsboss1]

ts whats the link to your site?

First Grow Ever - Hempy Style

Thanks

 

[tsboss1]

It could be as simple as adding more OC+.

If you followed instructions with regard to the making of your bucket, the medium and the amount of OC+ to add, you've likely got an iron/zinc deficiency.

It's an easy fix. Go get some Liquinox or Ironite....both at hardware stores that have garden centers....very cheap.

If you tried to improve, modify, or merely ignored instructions, I'll need to see pictures.

Hey Docbud, I have followed your instructions to the T as far as how to get started.....Drill a hole, fill with perlite, add the oc+. I added 1 tablespoon of OC+ per gallon. The part I didnt follow was to PH the water....And I believe I locked out the nutrients the plant needed.

If you click the link to my journal you can see the pics. I will try to post better pics today.

 

[Hash Hound]

ts

you said in your journal you used 2 tbsp in a 16oz cup plus 1.5 tbsp on top. 2 tbsp is a good dose for a gallon, might be to much for a solo cup. you're not supposed to be able to over fertilize with oc, but maybe that is your problem.

also you said you are watering when the plant feels light. about how many days are you going between watering?

i used tap water with a hose attached to the shower head, nice and convenient for a hempy.

 

[Hash Hound]

side note to OC use

I have 3 3gal buckets outside with a zucchini, tomato and one has 3 pepper plants in it. I used 2 tbsp oc+ per gal of dirt. The temps here have been unusually hot this summer 85-95 every day for over a month. The tomatoes and peppers are lush green, but the zuc is fading. I'm giving it a gallon or two every day, but only a gallon every other day for the tom and pep.

I guess I am seeing the OC being used up faster with the zuc. with the high heat and over double the water.

Just an observation of mine.

 

[tsboss1]

ts

you said in your journal you used 2 tbsp in a 16oz cup plus 1.5 tbsp on top. 2 tbsp is a good dose for a gallon, might be to much for a solo cup. you're not supposed to be able to over fertilize with oc, but maybe that is your problem.

also you said you are watering when the plant feels light. about how many days are you going between watering?

i used tap water with a hose attached to the shower head, nice and convenient for a hempy.

I don't think that it was over fertilizing because as you can see from the pics the plants were already at a good height and had a great rooting system already..They could have all went straight into a 3 gal bucket but I dont know....I honestly think it was because I did not PH my water and then the def started to come after about a week.

The first type of Def, I think was a Nitrogen def but now I believe Magnesium is the prob now.

Also, I am watering once a day. Should I use the cal-mag on all my plants or just the ones that need it?

Thanks for all the responses

 

[greenbowlpack]

I use straight tap water with a ph of around 7.7 at first I would correct the ph to around 6.0 then I decided to see if there was any problems with just using straight tap water and my plants grew fine so I stick with it.

 

[Vapedogg223]

I just entered part of one of the main colas from the plant I showed to you earlier in the 420 Magazine's Nug of the Month: August 2011 contest. It was grown with nothing other than Osmocote Plus (about 4 tablespoons of it to be exact) for nutrients.

Please go check it out if you would like to see how it turned out after drying, and a bit of a cure.

In fact, since it would be great if more members voted in the monthly contests anyway, you could follow the link in my signature, and vote for your favorites in all three contests this month!

 

[NCDude]

How much per gallon of soil?

Thanks