Fox Farm nutes.

[FinestKind]

Hello all, new to this forum. So, I use Fox Farm nutes, the whole system (the three solubles, plus the three liquids), and I've had problems with nute burn in the past. Oh, I'm growing in 8" pots in Pro-Mix under 1000w HPS on a light rail with CO2 enrichment. Anyway, this time around I'm using 1/2 strength on everything (1/8 t of the solubles + 1/2 strength on the liquids per gallon), and it seems to be working out okay, though I've been showing some N deficiency in the 5th week of flowering and dropping some fan leaves. My question is, should I be using this formula every watering or every other? The directions say every watering, but I'm hesitant not to flush between waterings at least somewhat. I'd love to hear what other people are doing with Fox Farm nutes and whether or not they've been having success or not. Thanks in advance!

 

[aggregatebuzz]

my Nirvana Blue Mystics are 30 days of flower at @ 4 ft. tall in 5 G pots
I vegged for 6 weeks but thats the only variation to the schedule,1/2 tsp. of the solubles
I do use dolomite lime to buffer but my nute pigs are healthy,sucking dust if they don't get fed every other day now days
nutes with every watering solubles every other
they will be starting their HPS lighting and first dose of Cha-Ching tonight
my first in door grow so I'll try other brand nutes for sure but these Fox Farm ones get a positive review from me

a link to images of the 10 inch cola on these Blue Mystics

http://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=27129&highlight=600W+club&page=26

 

[FinestKind]

Huh, well, big difference obviously between 5 gallon and 8" (about 1 gallon) pots Look nice, though! Anyone else more in my pot size realm?

 

[Big V]

Huh, well, big difference obviously between 5 gallon and 8" (about 1 gallon) pots Look nice, though! Anyone else more in my pot size realm?

Container size don't make a shit lickin bit of diffrence in this case , the ratio of nutes is the same either way.

Well the feeding chart says every other day...

I use Fox Farm in soil at full strength for several years now and have never had a problem 1 other than a cal-mag deficiancy so I add cal-mag.

Here is the feeding chart I follow.

http://www.foxfarmfertilizer.com/feedingfox.html

 

[Charlie_Citrine]

Hello all, new to this forum. So, I use Fox Farm nutes, the whole system (the three solubles, plus the three liquids), and I've had problems with nute burn in the past. Oh, I'm growing in 8" pots in Pro-Mix under 1000w HPS on a light rail with CO2 enrichment. Anyway, this time around I'm using 1/2 strength on everything (1/8 t of the solubles + 1/2 strength on the liquids per gallon), and it seems to be working out okay, though I've been showing some N deficiency in the 5th week of flowering and dropping some fan leaves. My question is, should I be using this formula every watering or every other?

I've found the best success feeding every watering but reducing the feed levels to roughly half what I was doing when I was watering every other watering, still about half of what is "recommended" on their charts.
The difference too is adding N to the program (not just TigerBloom, but GrowBig too) heavier on the week before flowering, through weeks 4-5 (strain dependent) with no pause for weeks one and 2 like they show in their charts.
This is most likely why you (and I was) were losing leaves in the fifth week. Now I keep them green and healthy, with plenty of N (a little goes a long way) to help the stretch and foliage growth in the first two weeks of flowering.

Their theory, it seems to be, is to load up on N just prior to flowering - as it takes a few days/week for uptake from what you last fed to kick in. But doing so I've found often enough that I've burned the plants, stunted them then by overfeeding.

The directions say every watering, but I'm hesitant not to flush between waterings at least somewhat. I'd love to hear what other people are doing with Fox Farm nutes and whether or not they've been having success or not. Thanks in advance!

I use 2 or 3 gallon pots, usually, sometimes 1 gallon (close to the size you're using?), and watering more of course the smaller the pot. You never flush with the "every other watering" routine though, otherwise it's like us taking heavy vitamin doses - it comes out in our pee and does nothing for uptake. Make sense?

THink of it like this: To feed a person well, you want many healthy, smaller meals instead of going without breakfast and lunch and then gorging on a huge dinner.
Your plants won't mind every watering a feed if you're cutting doses to an appropriate level. In fact, it'll be a constant low-level feeding and especially through the stretch and first weeks after of bud-set, they'll reward you, from my experience.

Everything is strain-dependent, and based on how they're looking. When they're lush and green and it comes time to water, one will think: THey look fine, I'll cut off the N this week. But your plants are green in soil (buffer, unlike hydro) because of what you did last week. Just go light if you're unsure, it's always easier to underfeed and catch up (your light and pot size will probably mean more frequent waterings, so you have better feedback, quicker) than it is to overfeed and suffer.

Second to last run, I did the process I described above and my plants looked good.

Here's an example. Week 2-ish, right as we're in the middle of the stretch, then at 30 days, then at 45+ days.
Green, no real burn, just barely over optimal levels of feed. Healthy green foliage produces good buds.
Real yield for an A11.

(continued)

 

[Charlie_Citrine]

Now this one was in a one gallon pot. Same strain, same feed process...but grown as a SOG, rather than branchy.

45 days in, just some yellowing on the bottoms, to be expected as roots are restricted, and you have to make sure to feed more, but it's easier to burn this way. Yours are this size pots, roughly?

 

[Charlie_Citrine]

But then this run...fed every watering, but didn't pay attention to the levels, even as they were still well under the recommendations.

Bubba Kush, West Coast Dog and A11 again. I burned them, and when that happened it's really hard to find the happy levels again. I'm into week 6 now, and while yields will still be good (great even for the BK), I didn't watch my plants, but rather fell back onto the formula at pretty much half-dosage. It's a fine-line between satiated and screwed.
Each of these strains were run with the A11 I grew and showed you in the last few posts. Each eat similarly.

I still recommend feeding every watering or so, skipping as needed every once in a while, and flushing at the last two weeks, but more about reading your plants needs rather than sticking to any formula and going lighter, though including N in the first weeks of flowering to week 5. A little will go a long way. TB too is powerful, be careful.
But it's so important to find the right constant level of feed earlier in flowering as they're working so hard to begin that process. It's also the time you can overdo it and just set the plant off wrong for the long flowering process.

a cal-mag deficiancy so I add cal-mag.

Forgot to say that too...I agree. Cal/Mag is an essential addition to the process using FF's stuff. I used it in my first run, haven't used it this run. More anecdotal evidence...take it with a grain of salt.

Good luck, hope this helps a bit, and it's only one man's opinion. Your mileage may vary. Good growing!

 

[FinestKind]

But then this run...fed every watering, but didn't pay attention to the levels, even as they were still well under the recommendations.

Bubba Kush, West Coast Dog and A11 again. I burned them, and when that happened it's really hard to find the happy levels again. I'm into week 6 now, and while yields will still be good (great even for the BK), I didn't watch my plants, but rather fell back onto the formula at pretty much half-dosage. It's a fine-line between satiated and screwed.
Each of these strains were run with the A11 I grew and showed you in the last few posts. Each eat similarly.

I still recommend feeding every watering or so, skipping as needed every once in a while, and flushing at the last two weeks, but more about reading your plants needs rather than sticking to any formula and going lighter, though including N in the first weeks of flowering to week 5. A little will go a long way. TB too is powerful, be careful.
But it's so important to find the right constant level of feed earlier in flowering as they're working so hard to begin that process. It's also the time you can overdo it and just set the plant off wrong for the long flowering process.


Forgot to say that too...I agree. Cal/Mag is an essential addition to the process using FF's stuff. I used it in my first run, haven't used it this run. More anecdotal evidence...take it with a grain of salt.

Good luck, hope this helps a bit, and it's only one man's opinion. Your mileage may vary. Good growing!

Wow, great help through and through, thanks a lot! Now I just need to digest it all... I've had continuous problems with over feeding with the FF regimen over the past couple of years, and it's made me rather gun shy... I agree, it's easier to fix a deficiency than it is to fix the nute burn, which is why I'm going "light" this time around... maybe I'll try that 1/8t solubles + 1/2 str on the liquids every week... again, just afraid, don't want to poison them again! And thanks to both of you for reminding me to add the Cal/Mag! I'll post some pictures tomorrow and (if you wouldn't mind) perhaps you could tell me how I'm doing so far... I'm at about week 5 of flowering now. Oh, and I'm watering about once every 4 days, so they still get fed once a week, roughly... wow, I just wish there was a "magic formula" for how much and how often.... maybe it's time to go hydro? Thanks again for your help!

 

[FinestKind]

Now this one was in a one gallon pot. Same strain, same feed process...but grown as a SOG, rather than branchy.

45 days in, just some yellowing on the bottoms, to be expected as roots are restricted, and you have to make sure to feed more, but it's easier to burn this way. Yours are this size pots, roughly?

Yeah, roughly the same pot size. Perhaps time to up it to 10" pots, I was thinking about doing that anyway. But I hate change.

 

[BLUNToPOTomuss]

Charlie

Im feelin you brotha!!

Ive been useing the full line at 1/2 strength every watering and everything is going great! You mention an N diff at week 5 of flower. If you look at the schedule FF calls for adding Grow in at week 4 of flower for the N boost,

I noticed the same thing right when FF calls for the N boost. So I think its money!

The only thing Ive noticed different between FF and Age Old (I ran last grow) is Im getting a CalMag diff. No prob, ust added it in..... but thats the only negitive difference. FF has really been better the AO IMO. with my ste up atleast

 

[Fuzz420]

Good info guys. I run the ff trio +beastie blooms and cha ching. I had to find out the hard way about going full strength. My plants took it well up to about 3/4 strength and then after that it was a disaster. My girls are back on the slow track to recovery. My next feeding im going to try a standalone dose of cha ching wtih about 1/2 tsp per gallon. I also agree cal mag is a must.

 

[Big V]

I had a feeding chart made up where I was feeding only at 1/4 strength and had no deficiancy all the way through. You can greatly deminish what the chart calls for and I would recomend it until you find out what your strain likes.

 

[sparkjumper]

I used FF grow big for a couple years and still love their tiger bloom.I found their grow big to be hard to control like you said.I swltched to PBP grow and like it much better.Actually I'll still use grow big the first 2 weeks of 12/12 for the nitrogen and because I know they wont burn my 4 ft plants.I really like PBP for veg man you cant burn or go wrong

 

[BLUNToPOTomuss]

I do know that Tiger Bloom form FF is SUPER hot! Thats the one nute outta the line that is most rsponsible for burning plants. Outta all of them that is the one I cut the most (1/2 strength MAX) Big Bloom I use at full strength as I do with OS, BB, and Cha Ching.

I LOVE Cha Ching!! It seems that after every dose my girls just stack on the Trichs!! Great stuff!!!

 

[FinestKind]

Wow!! This is great.... the last forum I was on (which will go unnamed to protect the innocent) I couldn't get an answer on this (or nearly any other!) question to save my life... YOU GUYS ROCK! All the info I wanted, perfect. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Looks like I found my forum...

 

[Charlie_Citrine]

Cheers, guys.

I'll post some pictures tomorrow and (if you wouldn't mind) perhaps you could tell me how I'm doing so far... I'm at about week 5 of flowering now. Oh, and I'm watering about once every 4 days, so they still get fed once a week, roughly... wow, I just wish there was a "magic formula" for how much and how often.... maybe it's time to go hydro? Thanks again for your help!

FinestKind, you should post your results with FF over a couple grows, if you have the time and inclination. I'd love to join that thread. One thing I've found is there is a lot of good grow info out there but very often there's not much discussion or showing in the way of feeding with specific lines.
I've used a few different fertilizers, FF has always done what I wanted and been the easiest. Granted, I've not used PBP or anything good like that yet, I'm sure I'll try down the line...but I've found FF, finicky as it can be sometimes with overfeeding, generally a great all-around fertilizer.

Would be fun to track some results from various users and add that to the thread. Always a good thing, IMO.

Perhaps time to up it to 10" pots, I was thinking about doing that anyway. But I hate change.

Me too, haha! Stick with what makes you comfortable.

I do know that Tiger Bloom form FF is SUPER hot! Thats the one nute outta the line that is most rsponsible for burning plants. Outta all of them that is the one I cut the most (1/2 strength MAX)

Yep. I think that's my problem this go-round...too liberal with the TB. Oops.
Live and learn...

Happy growing guys. I'm tagging this thread. Cheers!