How often, how much in your opinion. Miracle grow plant food (12-4-8)

I have the liquid miracle grow all purpose plant food.

[12% nitrogen] [4% phosphate] [8% potash] [.1% iron] [.05% manganese] [.05 % zinc]

Instructions-mix 1/2 teaspoon per two quarts of water and apply every 2 weeks to the soil.

I have mixed 1/4 teaspoon with 2 quarts of water. Cutting first few feedings in half as recommended by other posts.

My question is the plants are 3" high and 18 days old. Do I stick with the recommended every two weeks or more frequent. I am watering without food every 2-3 days at this point.

Thanks friends

stick with what they tell you and what you already know

how much? 0%
how often, never
get some jack's classic or dyna-gro. Your gonna have all the MG lovers in here telling you it works fine.
Ask yourself, How come not one top grower and not one hydro store carries or promotes MG.

ive been doing a lot of reading on these forums and other places lately and wether you hate it or love it im kind of unbiased at the moment but i can tell you from what ive read and learned so far is even though you can make the MG stuff work, its not best for what your doing.

VICTORYGARDENSHYDRO said:

how much? 0%
how often, never
get some jack's classic or dyna-gro. Your gonna have all the MG lovers in here telling you it works fine.
Ask yourself, How come not one top grower and not one hydro store carries or promotes MG.

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The Hydro stores don't advocate or sell MG products because they don't have the profit margin. I am not an MG "lover" by any means, but many a beginner has started out with MG (I started with Peters). Of course no top grower will use MG, thats a no-brainer. MG is FAR from ideal, but it can, IF used properly and with an addition of Cal/Mag, get a beginner through the first few grows until they get their feet under them. MG is cheap, readily available, and it DOES work. I consider MG to be a beginning growers "training wheels". The problem isn't MG, the problem is jumping right into growing ANY plant with no knowledge of horticultural science at all. I think there needs to be a sticky for beginners on the proper use of MG nutes and soils. Rather than discourage MG users, I try to educate them on the proper usage of it.
There are some things in life you just out grow. Miracle Gro is one of them.

Jack Harer said:

The Hydro stores don't advocate or sell MG products because they don't have the profit margin. I am not an MG "lover" by any means, but many a beginner has started out with MG (I started with Peters). Of course no top grower will use MG, thats a no-brainer. MG is FAR from ideal, but it can, IF used properly and with an addition of Cal/Mag, get a beginner through the first few grows until they get their feet under them. MG is cheap, readily available, and it DOES work. I consider MG to be a beginning growers "training wheels". The problem isn't MG, the problem is jumping right into growing ANY plant with no knowledge of horticultural science at all. I think there needs to be a sticky for beginners on the proper use of MG nutes and soils. Rather than discourage MG users, I try to educate them on the proper usage of it.
There are some things in life you just out grow. Miracle Gro is one of them.

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I don't have a profit margin on jack's classic, But I not only sell it,recommend it, But use it myself. I also consider myself different from other stores. I try and educate my customers, Not sell what's best for my wallet.

HGH, That came off wrong, and I apologize for that. But you're right, if what you say is true (and I have no reason to doubt you) You're a gem in a coal bin. I really do advocate the use of quality nutes, but your average beginner has already gone out and bought soil and nutes by the time they get here, and most likely it's an MG product(s). Newbies want to do this on a shoestring, and to tell them that they've wasted their money, and that they need to go out and spend the kind of money that the Advanced or Dutch Master (as an example) nutrient programs cost is just ridiculous. I agree with you wholeheartedly that it's all about educating folks. I think that's the mission here. I find myself unable to grow for the near future, so I figure my time is well spent educating (to the best of my ability) beginners, and hopefully they won't make the same plethora of mistakes I made when I was new to growing.
I'll be the first to admit I have little to no experience with the "Cake Recipe" (as I call them) nutrient programs, since I jumped right into Organics. And I AM biased. I'm sure that the expensive nutes grow great weed, can't argue that. But what the step by step programs do for many erstwhile growers is create dependence on the program (IMHO), and any deviation will cause brain-lock. Good growers have a grasp of the science behind what they do, not just that "this works, so do this." I see a lot of intermediate to "experienced" growers on forums asking the most basic of questions because all they know is how to follow the directions, even though they may have several grows under the belt.

Jack Harer said:

HGH, That came off wrong, and I apologize for that. But you're right, if what you say is true (and I have no reason to doubt you) You're a gem in a coal bin. I really do advocate the use of quality nutes, but your average beginner has already gone out and bought soil and nutes by the time they get here, and most likely it's an MG product(s). I agree with you wholeheartedly that it's all about educating folks. I think that's the mission here. I find myself unable to grow for the near future, so I figure my time is well spent educating (to the best of my ability) beginners, and hopefully they won't make the same plethora of mistakes I made when I was new to growing.

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No kidding, My first grow, I spent 4 months to end up with what my friends called "chewbaca bud"
It was horrible. I learned,unfortunetly, the hard way.I figure if i tell my customers the right way and they end up with a quality grow, they will tell there friends and also be a lifetime customer.

Now THAT'S how ya do business!!! I like your style.

How come the rest of the world grows everything with MG just fine?

Love my MG soil an Nutes.

It's not the bow it's the Indian!

scarhole2 said:

How come the rest of the world grows everything with MG just fine?

Love my MG soil an Nutes.

It's not the bow it's the Indian!

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you don't smoke petunas, crop farmers who grow your food don't use MG. Kemosabe

scarhole2 said:

How come the rest of the world grows everything with MG just fine?

Love my MG soil an Nutes.

It's not the bow it's the Indian!

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It's one thing to start out with it, but you're STILL using it? Why? For some people, I guess mediocrity is OK. It must be easier than optimizing anything.

Why?
Because I've used MG for 10 seasons an its great for cheep 7 penny's per gallon.
It provides most nutrients required.
My only complaint is no calcium, but I use lime an it supply's that.

Ammonia nitrate, ammonia sulfate an Urea is exactly what commercial farmers use for N. Witch is what MG uses.

At least you guys aren't drinking the AN koolaid.