I've been using the botanicare line for the last 2 years and slowly since I started growing I have started adding more of their products and added a few other products from other company's as well. I use Pure Blend Pro Grow (Soil formulation), Liquid Karma, and Cal-Mag for vegging. For flower I use Pure Blend Pro Bloom (soil formulation), Liquid Karma, Cal-Mag, Aqua Shield, Hydro-Plex, as far as sugars go I have used Sweet quite a bit throughout the past however recently I have started using bud candy it seems as if I have had better results in sugar production. I was a big advanced hater for awhile as I don't really like how blatantly big mike rants about random shit, the prices they charge among other things; however I have came to learn that certain products of theirs are truly useful. For instance I started to notice that some of my strains specifically one named Amethyst never finished right no matter how high i bumped up the hydroplex levels (buds were just to fluffy) so I have started using big bud during the middle of flower and overdrive towards the end of flower as well. I also have started to use Gravity by Humboldt to help really form tighter more compact buds. I need to start using carbo load as well as I feel it would probably help further the use of my bud candy. From time to time I have used hygrzyme as well as bud ignitor however bud ignitor I feel really just wasn't worth the money. I am using a flood and drain style system tables with roots orgainc recycled pots. About 6 plants/ 1000w bulb with metal screen (scrog) over the top of them. Anyways that is my rant about my nutes if anyone has any input it would be much appreciated!
Botanicare Nutrient's my regimine advice tips etc all appreciated.
- Thread starter Jmasta
- Start date
Springtucky
Well-Known Member
whatdaya mean you have had better results in sugar production? Do you think Bud Candy can account for more trichromes?
Hey I probably worded that wrong I meant to say it seemed my buds had a stronger more pungent sweet smell when using bud candy. It could have been a number of other factors (changed soil when this happened also). Also grow partner has been growing for years (never really refining his technique) and he is a fan of advanceds carbo products (carbo load bud candy etc.). I also mainly use it because of only having to use 2ml/L vs sweet where I am using like at least 10ml/L and it doesn't cost haven't done the math as to whether or not it is more cost effective which I am bit embarassed to admit 
I also have CNS 17 Grow and Flower I don't regularly use it on my soil babies but I like to use it on my aeroponic guys. It is amazing how stable the ph is with the CNS line I really need to do some side by side testing of cns vs regular old PBP. I need to sit down and figure out if CNS is more cost effective you don't need to suplement cal mag with it do you? Isn't it a grow + cal mag blend
KUShSOurSMOKEr
Well-Known Member
My friend who growest the sweetsest smelling kryptonite and the best og n shit uses bud candy all the time ..I'm thinkin of gettin it for sure who u guys reccomd it?
rory420420
Well-Known Member
Get blastoff,use the bloom and gro with calmag..sweet is just sucrose(sugar) that feeds the mycorizzae in the dirt,it has very little affect on the plant itself,and can be accomplished for CHEAP with the addition of UNSULFERD molassas..about a tablespoon a gal. Works great for me but i also grow in dirt. Tried hydroplex,but its just a Potassium/phos. Bomb,and can be easily overdone..i also take it a little higher with the bloom,using 45ml per gallon the 4th thru 6th week..used humbolt bushmaster by the directions once in the 2nd week of flower,and have been happy constantly. ;?)
Springtucky
Well-Known Member
From a hydroponic point of view, Sweet has both magnesium and sulfur and actually compared to other products of the sort it really is one of the few that the plant can benefit from. It will raise the ppms in your reservoir though. Can you tell me why you like Bushmaster?
Springtucky
Well-Known Member
yea as long as you note how much it raises your ppm you can still have a good idea how much is what for sure.
Springtucky
Well-Known Member
I use all DG products (Dyna Gro) the reason is very simple. After studying plant nutrition all you really have to do is look on the 'Guaranteed Analysis' of the bottles you use. Take a look at CNS-17 from Botanicare. It has nitrogen,phosphate, potash, calcium, magnesium, sulfur, manganese, and molybdenum. This is their bloom formula, and when compared to other base nutrients it is much better than other products. However, looking at DG's list you find those eight with the addition of micro nutrients iron, boron, chlorine, cobalt, sodium and zinc. It is what we would call a COMPLETE nutrient system. Adding Pro Tekt is a silica that helps strengthen plant immune system and stabilizes the PH of your reservoir.
phxfire
New Member
Word...
I will look into the DG products.. I was thinking about doing an organic grow next..
Springtucky
Well-Known Member
Subcool's super soil recipe does great and all you have to do is give yer plants ph'd water. I'd recommend it to someone looking for quality organic methods. I grow in super soil along side my water table.
I'm using botanicare in a garden full of TGA/subcool flowering ladies and I think they are doing pretty decent for using a synthetic nute with organic/microbial additives, I'm sure its not going to be as good as super soil obviously but of the synthetic nutes I gotta say the botanicare is pretty decent. I know his gear is always resinous but I've never seen resin like this ever. I ran techniflora nutes last grow and it came out good, potent, nice amount of resin, tasted ehh.....ok... I guess but it got me blazed, however the my subcool plants are just starting week 5 and have eclipsed my last grow with resin probably
I run pure blend pro for soil with hydroplex, liquid karma, aqua shield, protekt silica (replaced silica blast with it), GO Camg+. I add the citrus sweet to my jillybean at 1/2 dose with a half dose of humbolt honey ES, and I use the HH es on the rest of my plants. I also use hygrozyme, sensizyme and once a week I add a 1/2 dose of microbe brew and a 1/2 dose of kanga roots (bushmaster/fox farms) as well as a humic acid product called quantum 1. Does all that shit actually do anything more than just the base? No idea but I collected half of it over the past year so I figured may as well use it and next grow if I dont switch to something else thats 100% organic (thinking canna) I'll see how it works with just the base botanicare products, but I gotta say so far the everything is looking amazing, my querkle calyxes are just starting to turn a nice shade of purple as well.
I gotta say I've been pleasantly surprised with the botanicare line aside from the amounts of pbp my plants are drinking down like no tomorrow. I am following the bottles for now, I knew the hydroplex was some potent shit so I havent pushed it with that and havent broken 5ml per gal. with that nor have I went over 25ml per gal with bloom. Before my PPM meter broke the other day my feedings were between 1700 and 1850 for the larger ones, this is with everything except the myco/microbe products. Whats the max any of you have pushed with the soil bloom?
I run pure blend pro for soil with hydroplex, liquid karma, aqua shield, protekt silica (replaced silica blast with it), GO Camg+. I add the citrus sweet to my jillybean at 1/2 dose with a half dose of humbolt honey ES, and I use the HH es on the rest of my plants. I also use hygrozyme, sensizyme and once a week I add a 1/2 dose of microbe brew and a 1/2 dose of kanga roots (bushmaster/fox farms) as well as a humic acid product called quantum 1. Does all that shit actually do anything more than just the base? No idea but I collected half of it over the past year so I figured may as well use it and next grow if I dont switch to something else thats 100% organic (thinking canna) I'll see how it works with just the base botanicare products, but I gotta say so far the everything is looking amazing, my querkle calyxes are just starting to turn a nice shade of purple as well.
I gotta say I've been pleasantly surprised with the botanicare line aside from the amounts of pbp my plants are drinking down like no tomorrow. I am following the bottles for now, I knew the hydroplex was some potent shit so I havent pushed it with that and havent broken 5ml per gal. with that nor have I went over 25ml per gal with bloom. Before my PPM meter broke the other day my feedings were between 1700 and 1850 for the larger ones, this is with everything except the myco/microbe products. Whats the max any of you have pushed with the soil bloom?
oHsiN666
Well-Known Member
i have only grown 3 crops, and 1 harvested. i have been using Botanicare with great results!! i my first harvest was super frosty! super resin-y and i used the Sweet-raw, there was not much taste. i am a veteran long time smoker. and it takes a lot to get me stoned. i just mainly get a head change. but i grew some great herbs!! although, i have had major issues. anyone here care to take a minute to help me fix my issues maybe? would be greatly appreciated. ok! every time i start new plants the first, 2nd and the third leafs turn a ruts color, then yellow, then bright yellow and die off or i pull them off. i hate it. i know my plants are telling me something. this hasn't happened with a few strains. but for the most part, everything i have grown so far has. recently i tried upping the Cal/Mag. no change or improvement. i am using the Pro Blend Grow. and i am using Sunshine Mix Advanced #4. im thinking of switching to Roots Organic, well, eventually Subcools Super Soil, but Roots over the SMA#4. i have also heard really good things about Bio-Canna. but for now, and probably the next 6 months, i will be in Botanicare. should i switch to the Pro Blend Soil? i think i have a potassium or phosphorous def. that is my thinking. i use R/O water ph'd to 6.7 and the plants love that. here is the kicker also. my plants don't shine like they should. they do not have that vibrant look until i put them into flower. along with the PBG i use Liquid Karma, Cal/Mag+, Hydrozyme for veg. and in flower i use Hydroplex. my plants look great up til the last few weeks, then the leafs all over start going lighter green, then yellow, then shrivel up and fall off, or i pull off. this happens with a few plants only. not all of them. this is very confusing for a first time grower. i have tried upping, lower nutes. and no change. if anyone can help me, or give me a tad bit of info on the Botanicare, maybe im not using it correctly. like i mentioned. my plants get hella frosty. i mean super dooper frosty. the smell and the stink is there. just sometimes the leafs get out of wak! i know my plants are telling me to change something i am doing. which tells me i am not using my nutes properly. also, the 2-3 week veg schedule on the bottle totally throws me off. i veg for a lot longer then 2 weeks!! and some of my plants have a 9-10 week flower schedule. +rep for any help. and thanks for taking the time to help me.
Dizzle Frost
Well-Known Member
Unless you grow commercial CNS is not worth while for a hobby grower...the PureBlend Pro has way more bang for the buck and is less diluted than CNS...my hydro store wont even stock it anymore. We had a 10 minute chat about PBP and CNS so i got privied by the source lol
Unless something new comes along that blows me away, i will use botanicare for years to come...PBP works well with liquid karma , calmag+ and grab some clearex to, i noticed salt buildup to be normal with these nutes
When you say the leaves are falling off and dying, is this towards the end of the plants life? Right before harvest? This is normal, thats supposed to happen when the plants are nearing the end of their lives. Think of it like the leaves on the trees when fall is ending and the leaves turn colors, theres nothing that can be done its just what happens. If that is what you are talking about, what you want to do is feed them grow nutes a little longer in flower. I feed my plants that are 8-9 week strains grow nutes for the first 2 weeks of flower and then 50/50 grow/bloom and then straight grow, longer flowering sativa's should be feed 3 weeks of grow nutes and then 50/50. They will stay green all the way to the end until you start your pre harvest flush, the leaves will then fade to yellow and purple or whatever else colors your strains will turn.
What you are describing to me is a N deficiency though, dont get to crazy with the cal/mag, seeing you use RO water, use it but dont over do it. Hygrozyme should be used up until week 6 or so of flower, you should start you plants on it at about 2.5 ml per gallon in veg working up to the max 10 ml, and then tapering off the same way to cut it off by week 6 or so. I think hygrozyme is much better for organic nutes but if it doesnt help with any kind of nute uptake, it will keep your soil clean and break down organic material in the soil keeping the root zone clean.
One other suggestion I'd like to make to you is, seeing you are a new grower, how about lowering the number of different strains you grow at one time? I know how that sounds and its definitely not what you want to hear but I can tell you from experience it will make you a better grower as well as make your harvest turn out better because you are feeding the plants the same, they are being harvested at the same time etc.... I know its not going to be a popular statement but it will help you become a better grower. Try running 1 or 2 strains max next time for a few runs, master them and then try something new.
Let me know when these problems are happening to you, mid/late flower....as well as post some pics if you can as I'll be able to help you better as will others.
Heres a few pics of my TGA strains grown with botanicare and supps I mentioned above.
querkle day 35
Chernobyl, day 37
oHsiN666
Well-Known Member
ok! thank you very much for the help!! sorry for the late response. and yes! this problem is only happening on 1 plant, so far. she is ahead of the rest of the bunch by 1 week. i can post some updated pics this evening. although the glow from the HID makes the colors in the pics not come out so good. and yeah i have heard about the veg nutes until you see flowers starting to form. however, this run i ran out of the veg nutes. so i didn't do that, but will in the future. i do know about only growing 1 or 2 strains and should have. but i am trying to get a feel for these certain strains i am messing with before i keep a mother and doing a 1 strain grow. i do understand the benefits of growing 1 strain. however i got a little ahead of myself this time. i never grow more then 3 at a time. so are you suggesting i up the Pro Grow a little? she is exactly 4 weeks into flower on 11/23. her stigmas are starting to change from a translucent color to the solid stringy yellow. so i am guessing they are very close to being finished. should i slow down on the Hydroplex? and stop using the Hydrozyme altogether in about 2 weeks? she may be a 7 week finisher. she is def approaching flush very soon. so, if anything can be done, it should be done soon. thank you again for your help.