Organic Nutrients?

[Bullethead]

Which exactly are organic nutrients? Is both the General Hydroponics Flora Series and the Flora Nova organic? Or is the Flora series not organic and the Nova is organic?

Can I mix AquaShield with the Flora Nova or will it kill the stuff in the Flora Nova?

Ive read that you shouldnt use certain bacteria or like H2O2 with Organic nutrients??

Also, what are the guidelines for mixing additives? for example can you use NutraLife SM-90 with AquaShield by Botanicare?

I forget which kills what and its kinda confusing.

Thanks in advance for any insight.

[Boze]

Organic nutrients are basically nutrients not derived from minerals. Usually you'll see organic nutrients being derived from poultry litter, worm castings, guanos, etc. The only organic line from GH is the BioThrive. Flora Nova has some 'natural' ingredients from what I understand, but is not conisdered an organic nutrient.

I'd mix Aquashield with almost anything... organic or not.

H2O2 is a form of acid and will destroy living organisms, use it carefully, and almost never with a benefical bacteria program. However H2O2 is good to use before and after crop cycles...

[Bullethead]

Thanks for the reply and the info Boze.

I wish the people that actually sold nutrients knew about them. Trying to get information other than the normal everyday questions is worst than pulling teeth!

You guys ever hear of or use the dry concentrate from GH?

I didnt even know they had this product or that it even existed....found it by accident..been using GH for years now (The Flora Series and the Flora Nova)...wonder why other websites dont carry this line from GH as well? Does it suck?

Here is the C&P from the description.

MaxiGro and MaxiBloom are extremely potent, stand-alone, water-soluble fertilizers. These dry concentrate formulas are complete in all primary, secondary and micro nutrients.

These nutrients are easy to use and will provide superior results over a broad spectrum of different crops, water-qualities and hydroponic or soil based methods.

General Hydroponics' MaxiGro and MaxiBloom are pH buffered to minimize pH drift and reduces the need to check and adjust nutrient pH.

Use MaxiGro (NPK: 10-5-15) for seedlings and plant cuttings, and to stimulate rapid growth through the "vegetative" growth stage. For seedlings, cuttings, foliar feed, or delicate transplants use 1/4 teaspoon per gallon.

Use MaxiBloom (NPK: 5-7-18) for the reproductive stage in fast growing annuals. MaxiBloom forces prolific flowering and fruiting and stimulates higher yields and crop quality. For most applications, use 1 teaspoon per gallon. (Orchids, use 1/2 tsp per gallon)

Anyone know if the NPK's are typed correctly, there was a image on the website and it showed different numbers for NPK but I couldnt make out all the numbers.

I wonder which is correct.....

[David G.]

BGH has been selling MaxiGro and MaxiBloom for years. You will find that most powdered base nutrients on the market are geared towards growers who want something that is extremely affordable, and don't want to take the time to mix different parts together. Dry nutes are closer in makeup to products like Miracle Grow than the high performance liquid nutes available on websites like ours.

Flora Nova is a one part nutrient so it's easier to measure out then 2 and 3 part nutes, but unlike the Maxi series, it also contains enhancers that Maxi doesn't. Dry nutes are cheaper to ship; liquid nutes dissolve easier in the reservoir and don't require as much mixing.

Very few of our customers (almost none of our walk-in customers) use powdered nutrients. That's not to say there is anything wrong with them; they work just fine. But most experienced growers will tell you that they get even better results with the liquid nutrients that are currently on the market.

P.S. Yes, the numbers you listed are not the correct numbers. According to the newest packaging:
MaxiGro: 10-5-14
MaxiBloom: 5-15-14

Hope this helps.

[Bullethead]

Thank you very much David....I am glad I found this site! FINALLY, some definitive type information and answers!

I started with dry nutes and yes, they were hard to get to dissolve and extremely strong!

Im sure that is what the turn off is for most.

Im gonna give them I try I think.

Thanks again!

[psion128]

Speaking of organic nutrients... Is it possible to use compost tea for the plants? I'm very new at this and I saw that compost / compost tea is very good for soiled plants. Would it work for hydro systems also?

[David G.]

Yes, compost tea can be used in a hydroponic system. The nutrient salts are harmful to the bacteria, so you need to use a stronger dilution. Also, in soil it is possible to go 4 weeks between applications; in hydro you would want to make weekly applications for best results. We have been brewing and selling fresh compost tea through our retail stores for years, and customers are always amazed at the results when they first try it. We've thought about offering it on our website, but the tea must be used within 24 hours and we figured the shipping charge would make it much less attractive.

It's important to note that not all compost tea is the same. We had to do a lot of research with industry experts in order to find the best mix of ingredients, which we have been using for about the last 3 years now. Also, the brewer is very important. Over 90% of the brewers I have seen on the market and in retail shops are insufficient in my opinion. The brewer we use at our retail shops costs around $2,000, but it was worth the investment; it does a wonderful job and keeps the bacteria alive longer than any other brewer we have seen to date.

If you want to brew your own tea at home, here's some good news. The same company that makes our commercial brewer now makes a 5 gallon brewer that runs around $350. They have also packed the same ingredients that BGH uses in ready to go kits that are already sized and proportioned for the 5 gallon brewer. The bacteria must be used within a day or so of being brewed (it doesn't have the massive regenerative blower or other bells and whistles that our commercial brewer has), but that doesn't really matter. It's important for us to have the shelf life because the brewer is big (it produces too much for us to sell in a single day), but since 5 gallons is enough for most growers, the shelf life isn't important when you're brewing at home.

I could go on and on about compost tea, so I'll leave you with this. Compost tea - the right compost tea - can do amazing things for your plants. It's easily one of the most effective enhancers available today. But I will stress again that it has to be derived from the right ingredients and you have to use a decent brewer. There is a very good book on compost tea on our website; if you're interested in learning more about compost tea then I recommend this book highly. If you're convinced and you simply want to start using the tea, just visit one of our stores. If you're not lucking enough to live close to one of our stores, then consider picking up a 5 gallon brewer and some Pro Kits off our website.

If there's enough interest I will post some of the many benefits of compost tea in in the near future.