Feed every watering? (every other?)

[az2000]

Is there a reason to feed every other watering? Referring to non-hydro, non-organic, I thought the goal was to feed as much as the plant will take without hitting the point where nute burn occurs. It seems like alternating water-only is would dilute the nutrients in the soil, requiring stronger nutes in the next watering. Stronger than simply feeding a consistent strength each watering(?).

Is there a consistent observation that water-only between feedings is better?

 

[941mick]

I've done it both ways and find that if your not incorporating miocrobe inoculents, nutrient feeding every watering works just as well as nute/water/nute. If you are using microbe inoculates then it's better to go nute/inoculent/nute, because most synthetics contain elements that are not microbe friendly, and the microbe life seems to do it's job better when used in a separate watering.

 

[wyteberrywidow]

I would think medium plays a part in it. When I used coco every watering was with nutrients. Now doing organic I use nutes once a week.

 

[941mick]

I would think medium plays a part in it. When I used coco every watering was with nutrients. Now doing organic I use nutes once a week.

Very true! If your using an amended medium then you would not want to fertilize every watering.

 

[cobyb]

The idea behind the watering (information I absorbed recently) is to flush the excess salts and waste that are formed during metabolism. By watering with a diluted nutrient solution the excess nutrients are able to be leeched easier out of the root zone.

 

[cobyb]

Decrease the amount of fert applied, and increase the watering for what the soil can handle. Slowly increasing the nutrient uptake until it reaches your size, and flushing every 7 days. But this is what I use for "organic/veganic/organo-mineral" tea feeding. Your post originally said non-organic/hydro, so my 2 cents is a glance by.

 

[rob333]

Is there a reason to feed every other watering? Referring to non-hydro, non-organic, I thought the goal was to feed as much as the plant will take without hitting the point where nute burn occurs. It seems like alternating water-only is would dilute the nutrients in the soil, requiring stronger nutes in the next watering. Stronger than simply feeding a consistent strength each watering(?).

Is there a consistent observation that water-only between feedings is better?

i have been going in the same pots for about 2 months with h/g soil nutes i havent flushed yet just been feeding by the chart im 4 weeks into flower and things are going well i might just wait for the final 2 weeks and use plain water

 

[az2000]

if you're not incorporating microbe innoculents, nutrient feeding every watering works just as well as nute/water/nute.

What's an example of innoculants? I grow in Pro-Mix HP which has myco. I feed some Liquid Karma and Alaska Kelp. I think those are supposed to promote beneficial microbes.

I guess I'll have to try feed-water-feed. I'm using Grow More Sea Grow which is organic'ish (more than purely synthetic nutes like GH Flora Series). It works well but I fight acidic soil. I use 1.5 to 2 Tbsp dolomite / gal soil. Today I was thinking about how some people do feed-water-feed and wondered if I'm using too much food. Not "too much" in the sense of nute burn. But, too much in the sense of creating too much salt residue.

I hear a lot about organic nutrients, that the plant just takes what it needs. That it's not the same as force-feeding synthetic nutrients like GH Flora. So, got me to wondering if I'm overdoing it with this organic'ish nutrient, that the nutrient's properties wouldn't cause nute burn, but could build up and acidify the soil if the were excessive.

I'll have to try it. I hate to experiment with reduced nutes and perhaps waste time with less growth than I could get. But, my acidity problem frustrates me. Not sure if it's peculiar to Pro-Mix, the nutes, an interaction between the two. Just trying to rule out variables.

 

[941mick]

What's an example of innoculants? I grow in Pro-Mix HP which has myco. I feed some Liquid Karma and Alaska Kelp. I think those are supposed to promote beneficial microbes.

I guess I'll have to try feed-water-feed. I'm using Grow More Sea Grow which is organic'ish (more than purely synthetic nutes like GH Flora Series). It works well but I fight acidic soil. I use 1.5 to 2 Tbsp dolomite / gal soil. Today I was thinking about how some people do feed-water-feed and wondered if I'm using too much food. Not "too much" in the sense of nute burn. But, too much in the sense of creating too much salt residue.

I hear a lot about organic nutrients, that the plant just takes what it needs. That it's not the same as force-feeding synthetic nutrients like GH Flora. So, got me to wondering if I'm overdoing it with this organic'ish nutrient, that the nutrient's properties wouldn't cause nute burn, but could build up and acidify the soil if the were excessive.

I'll have to try it. I hate to experiment with reduced nutes and perhaps waste time with less growth than I could get. But, my acidity problem frustrates me. Not sure if it's peculiar to Pro-Mix, the nutes, an interaction between the two. Just trying to rule out variables.

kelp and the contents of liquid karma do incorporate some microbe life, but I wouldn't consider them inoculates. I'm talking more about straight bacillus, mycorrhizae, or other bacteria/fungal products. A few examples of name brands would be Photosynthesis Plus, Mykos, Orca, Great White, Subculture M, Subculture B, VooDoo Juice, Tarantula, Piranha etc...etc Grow More has their own that I'm sure work well like everything else in their line, I just don't have them in the store I work at so haven't used it nor talked to anyone who does.

There a lot of studies that show that nitrates and EDTA are not very microbe friendly, and unfortunately are incorporated in a lot of synthetic fertilizers. It's not so much that they kill microbe life, but they restrict the growth of living organisms.