Is it really worth the high cost of advertised pot nutrients?? Do you get the big buds as advertised?? Also I could not find how many plants as an example the “starter packs” would finnish…I’ve been using DIY nutrients from household items…Even MG plant food…I never pull what the plant catalog says…An example is 44g from a OG KUSH autoflower is my average… The plants catalog says 88+ grams…So do the store-nutrients really make big buds??
Bill, I been at this for 50 years…They help but they do not…Nutrients are required as a potted plant can use up the available nutrient content but the claims of bigger, better…NOT
NPK is NPK and anything that provides the basic foundation works, in the proper amounst contingent on growth period (seedling, veg (early and late), pre flower, early flower, mid and late flower…air, light, photosynthesis take care of more than you realize and excess nutrients, if not organic, can cause more harm than good. So can organics if not used properly.
Even outdoors, I have gorwn potted alongside planted. I watered the planted with hose water, kelp misting…and make it all the way to harvest…no nutes, just compost topping every month or so, an inch only
Potted, with hose water, showed a little less growth. Supplemented with plain straight N, P and K at recommend times…did not outproduce planted
Potted - in tents - like hydro, if you feed daily, you maximize the growth. The oxygen, nutrition and light provide maximum growing conditions. Even LOW LEVEL nutrients in a hydro environment will appear to give explosive growth but good soil outproduces the end product (taste, strength, resiliency)
Nitrogen is the only nutrient that is usually deficient in garden soils. Plants use quite a bit of it, it is easily converted to other forms in the soil or air, and it easily moves through soil – basically washing away. A bit of compost is all most plants need.
If you look at the fertilizer numbers in bloom booster products you quickly realize that every manufacturer’s formulation is different. That’s odd! If there was a special formulation that boosts flowers you would think all manufacturers would use the same formula? They don’t, because there is no such thing. These are just packages of fertilizer with the words ‘bloom booster’ slapped on the label.
Bloom booster fertilizer is nothing more than a marketing gimmick to get you to buy more fertilizer. Many people grow plants for the flowers, and so manufacturers are using your desire for more flowers to sell more products
How much phosphorus do plants need?
When plant tissue is analyzed, the fertilizer numbers are in the ratio of 6-1-4 (ref 1). They contain much less phosphorus than nitrogen or potassium. There is usually more calcium, magnesium and sulfur in plant tissue than phosphorus.
So why would a fertilizer ratio of 1-5-1 (Peters Professional Super Bloom Booster), be good for plants?
Phosphorus is critical for plant growth, but plants don’t need a lot of it. The American Rose Society says “Commercial growers of roses for cut-flower production typically use fertilizers with a 3-1-2 NPK ratio.” I think these guys know how to produce blooms!
Potassium is essential for plants to grow and flower properly, but high potassium levels will not increase flowering. Flowering is controlled by hormone levels – not nutrient levels.
Most container grown plants require only minimal amounts of P for optimal growth and … applications of high P fertilizer will not promote either roots or shoot growth in plants as popularly believed.
Don’t use bloom boosters for containers.
Phosphorus Does NOT Promote Flowering -
There is little evidence that phosphorus promotes flowering. Bloom boosters are not needed, nor do they do help your plants, unless you have a phosphorus or potassium deficiency in the soil. The only way to know this, is with a soil test
This does not mean your substrate does not need supplemented nutrition, it means a simple basic concept is all that is needed
N for growth…P & K if the soil needs it but you do not have to have the fancy, expensive, claim all to produce good size, quality harvests
This is an opinion, and it is my opinion. Not gospel and many do not agree. I believe certain amendments help (enzymes, soil / root enhancers (azomite, molasses, a little kelp), foliar sprays (especially N, Calcium, Mg (epson salt)…etc.
We try to give plants a remedy before they are needed. Plants tell us what they need, then we should reply. It is like buying all the vitamins, nutrients, joint, bone, intestine fixers, etc., when we already have the ability to overcome / not be prone to the needs of these products unless we are deficient. Every nutrient manufacturer makes I beleive our soil is deficient before we even start
Hydro is an other animal
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Great work Mike! I am 2+ weeks into flower and have not fed anything except top coating some worm castings. My Auto did green up a bit afterwards incidentally. I was just wondering about starting to feed for flowering with some Bloom Booster. Looks like I will be using it for the Hydrangea we planted until my plants tell me otherwise. " If it aint broke don’t fix it" I am trying…
Hi Wild Bill,
I look at nutrients as a necessity to a grow, therefore cost is relevant and can be controlled with planning and shopping around. I prefer products that are designed or formulated to cannabis (since that is what I am growing). That said I have tried Fox Farm and General Hydroponics in the past with good results (3 grows each). I follow the manufacturer’s directions for diluting in water. The only thing I might change is how often. I watch my plants and react to their needs rather then a schedule.
I am currently using Advanced Nutrients (basic 3 + basic additives). Again, I am getting good results (this is the first grow). I am using a bud enhancer this time (overdrive) and will let you know what I think. So far, I am extremely impressed with the grow and the first 5 weeks of flower, and I feel this brand is superior to the other two I have used. I will have a better idea at harvest time.
My total cost for Advanced Nutrients for this grow is <$75.00. It will be a bit less for the next as I will not use all up. I believe that the other two brands cost about the same. The cost for the harvest is well in the “that’s fine with me” spectrum. The only way to really know if these are worth it is to play. Try and test yourself to see if you get a better result and is it worth it to you.
I use cal mag, kelp, molasses and bat guano which I apply once between 3-4 weeks. My last harvest averaged 67 grams per plant. 3 different auto strains. That is my largest yield yet per plant.
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WOW,Good stuff to know…
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Can you tell me a good way to increase nitrogen organically? I think that is what these girls need to green up right? they have been bright green their whole life and nothing has really helped . I feed molasses liquid kelp big bloom and / or tiger bloom and grow big depending on the stage they are in . Can you give me your thoughts on these in the pic.
Happy growing!
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No only the two autos. They are the two closest to the front in the picture
It just so happens I was going to clean my 80 gallon aquarium today so looks like the fish droppings are going in! Well I’m not really cleaning the aquarium I was going to change out all the decor today and set it up different. So I will just vacuum the bottom while I am in there That was a good article thank you.
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Pretty much use them in every feeding
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Gotcha what soil are you using
N is a soluble material and is EASILY BLOCKED if the P, K and PH is off. It takes about a week for a soil feeding to reach the leaves. For an almost instant shot of N, use a foliar spray. Mens urine, a shot glass, in a gal of water, aerated for 24 hrs is a fantastic N pump. Do not spray when light have been on (hot). Best first thing or at beginning of dark time…
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I second the foliar feed and golden shower. @Mrb53004 mike suggested this a few seasons back and I must say I am impressed with the results on all my cannabis, veggies, berries, and fruit trees. I had always added urine to my compost projects but never directly to my plants. He convinced me to do a small experiment and I took the golden leap of faith. Haven’t turned back since. I actually add a shot glass to a 1000ml bottle and have never had any burns. Double what Mike said about not under the lights or your plants will fry. Once it dries (not too long) you can run the lights. Do it at dawn or dusk is my suggestion.
Also, if you don’t have access to male urine on tap at the moment, sub in ammonia. I use 1 shot glass per 1000ml spray bottle and foliar feed. The results are amazing at greening up plants. I use it to kill powdery mildew but I noticed every time the side effect is 3 shades greener plants. It works really well. I would spray it once everyday other day for a week if your plants were in my care. But no worries, just a suggestion (it works really well). The ammonia breaks down to nitrites and nitrates and the plants can soak it up. Like me and the sun on a Hawaii beach. Same thing about not in the lights with ammonia. Until it dries in 10-15 min.
Ps: the ammonia smells better inside than the urine. Outside I paint the garden in it now (urine) because it has lots of other trace element that the ammonia doesn’t. Also phosphorus and potassium. It is really quite amazing additive for living soil and compost bins. You would be hard pressed to find such a perfect plant fertilizer right out of the bottle. Pee away baby, pee away.
Just rinse the veggies and strawberries before you share them with the neighbors. 
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I also am a big fan of using aquarium water. I keep this hundred gallon gallon in my garage for watering my clones. Mainly citrus and banana trees. I stir it up real good before I scoop the water. Stir all the sediment like this
But I still think the foliar feed will take care of business much faster.
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Okay so I have a urinated on my plants and we’ll see how they do LOL I actually urinated in a shot glass. Thank you guys for your help I’ll keep you posted
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Welp, can’t get much more DIY than that! 
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