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Who uses high P and K in bloom with success?

N

nxsov180db

Member
Who uses bloom boosters or high P-K numbers in bloom with success and what exactly are you feeding? I want to know how high of a P-K I can feed in bloom, I used to use P-K boosters but I had issues because I didn't really know what I was doing nutrient wise but I think my buds were bigger. I've since learned the correct ratio/amount of Mg and Ca to feed and have become very familiar with hydrobuddy and I have grown very nice plants with no deficiencies or issues but I do think I have lost a little bud mass. I want to increase my P-K numbers and lower my N a tad bit as my plants stay super green all the way to harvest. Right now I am around
N100
P50
K180
Mg45
Ca90
I am thinking of going to something like this
(after 3 weeks of flower)
N50-60
P120
K200-220
Mg50
Ca100-120
So who uses P-K boosters or at least higher P-K numbers with success and what exactly are you feeding them?
 
A

ADHDGrower

Member
Most Nutrientlines follow similar Ratios, just more N. Alot of Growers use PK Boost Products or Formulas. So your Question is kinda hard to answer. Poeple often run into the Problem of too much K beeing applied which will lead to Ca/Mg Deficencies.

P doesnt compete as much, so applying it at higher Rates is just good Practice or a Waste. It also has a low Saltindex, which means it doesnt raise EC as much, which i would wager also translates to its Osmotic Value.

Your Numbers look fine, i have ran similar and would say it worked.

Theres this Idea that P needs to be applied early and stored for Use in the Flowering Phase, maybe something to think about,

Plants should have lots of P and Ca allready applied to them going into Flowering, thats the Idea.
 
N

nxsov180db

Member
ADHDGrower said:
Most Nutrientlines follow similar Ratios, just more N. Alot of Growers use PK Boost Products or Formulas. So your Question is kinda hard to answer.
Click to expand...
How is my question kind of hard to answer? I'm only asking what people are using for PK boosters+base nute's that are having good results. That way I can figure out the numbers and it'll give me an idea of how much P and K people are using without overdoing it..
 
Spaventa

Spaventa

...
Veteran
I PK 3 weeks from harvest for a week. I cut back the bloom nutes to keep the EC optimum. I use Canna everything and do what it says on the label, never failed me. Yield and quality go up by 20 percent at least.

Btw - Canna is 13/14. Ive never tried the other ratios others do.. if it ain't broke and all that :)
 
A

ADHDGrower

Member
nxsov180db said:
Every veg feeding schedule has a pretty low number of P in relation to everything else. So prior to the bloom phase you think P should be increased?
Click to expand...

I read somewhere that the P that is used to create Flowers has to be allready stored inside the Plant. Could be why theres alot of very high P Formulas, that are to be applied in the first week of Bloom.

On the other Hand, high P is supposed to be promoting Stem Elongation in Studys. Stretch that we mostly dont want to happen for a good Structure.

Sorry i dont have a Link, the Study about P affecting Stretch should be easy to find though.

Personally i tweak a Mix that is Similar to Jacks321 with MAP to have around 120ppm+ P in Solution. I found that a Silicic Acid(using Yara Actisil) applied as a weekly Foliar seems to Help with reducing Stretch. Reducing Temperatur Difference between Night and Day is still the best Way though.
 
A

ADHDGrower

Member
nxsov180db said:
How is my question kind of hard to answer? I'm only asking what people are using for PK boosters+base nute's that are having good results. That way I can figure out the numbers and it'll give me an idea of how much P and K people are using without overdoing it..
Click to expand...

IMO its hard to answer cause its such a disputed Topic overall. Some PK Boosters are to be applied early then continously troughout Bloom, other Products are to be applied in the last 3 Weeks.

I mean, more then half the Companys are just selling a PK Boost Product cause the Market demands it, not because they made any serious Research on that Subject.

I like the Approach from Canna, using pk13/14 for a weeky only, at the Time of most Cell Division happening. Around early Week 6 depending on Strain, before the Calyx are swelling.
 
Douglas.Curtis

Douglas.Curtis

Autistic Diplomat in Training
Define "success." I see you know green at harvest is lower quality, awesome for looking for a better mix.
Good on you for doing your due diligence, I really appreciate seeing growers looking for new info. :)
 
Last edited:
Douglas.Curtis

Douglas.Curtis

Autistic Diplomat in Training
For what it's worth, I've been flowering with versions of the Lucas Formula for 15 years now. When I keep the strength low, transpiration high and allow a full and natural pH swing, the resulting cannabis smoke is so soft, tasty and aromatic it's literally unbelievable. I lightly used Kool Bloom powder a couple times and quit, due to the quality hit. Come to think of it, I still have the jar of it from years ago, lol.

So, in my opinion, the element mix is very close with the Lucas Formula and I'd start there. I use magnesium sulfate (epsom salt) to tailor magnesium levels for individual strains. The Lucas formula is a bit shy on magnesium for many strains and being able to vary the mag content with epsom additions works out extremely well. :)
 
N

nxsov180db

Member
Spaventa said:
I PK 3 weeks from harvest for a week. I cut back the bloom nutes to keep the EC optimum. I use Canna everything and do what it says on the label, never failed me. Yield and quality go up by 20 percent at least.

Btw - Canna is 13/14. Ive never tried the other ratios others do.. if it ain't broke and all that :)
Click to expand...

Do you use all products on the canna chart? If you go by the chart during that 1 week of using PK 13/14 it gives you:

N 103
P 156-165
K434-450

That seems like an insane amount of K lol. If you are only using the Aqua Flores and PK 13/14 it gives you:

N103
P126
K394
 
N

nxsov180db

Member
Douglas.Curtis said:
For what it's worth, I've been flowering with versions of the Lucas Formula for 15 years now. When I keep the strength low, transpiration high and allow a full and natural pH swing, the resulting cannabis smoke is so soft, tasty and aromatic it's literally unbelievable. I lightly used Kool Bloom powder a couple times and quit, due to the quality hit.
Click to expand...
How much KB powder did you try? I used the Lucas ratio with GH Micro/Bloom a few times and tryed it with KB powder and it caused some issues lol. Lucas gives a decent amount of P and K and plenty of Mg, I can't imagine any strain needing more Mg than it provides. If you do the 8ml micro 16 ml bloom (which is kind of strong) you get:

N 105
P 92
K 158
Mg 63
Ca 106
 
Douglas.Curtis

Douglas.Curtis

Autistic Diplomat in Training
nxsov180db said:
How much KB powder did you try? I used the Lucas ratio with GH Micro/Bloom a few times and tryed it with KB powder and it caused some issues lol. Lucas gives a decent amount of P and K and plenty of Mg, I can't imagine any strain needing more Mg than it provides. If you do the 8ml micro 16 ml bloom (which is kind of strong) you get:

N 105
P 92
K 158
Mg 63
Ca 106
Click to expand...
Yes, some strains are much hungrier for mag than others, I assure you. The more light you're running, the higher the mag requirements are. There are definitely some strains which don't seem to need much at all. Again, the added sulfur increases terpene production as well, which is a very nice bonus. :)

At approximately 30 days in flower I used 1/4 teaspoon of powdered Kool Bloom, for 35 gallons of nutrient solution. I wanted to start slow and easy and was very disappointed, didn't try more. Definite increase in harshness of the end smoke, even with such a small addition.
 
N

nxsov180db

Member
Douglas.Curtis said:
Yes, some strains are much hungrier for mag than others, I assure you. The more light you're running, the higher the mag requirements are. There are definitely some strains which don't seem to need much at all. Again, the added sulfur increases terpene production as well, which is a very nice bonus. :)

At approximately 30 days in flower I used 1/4 teaspoon of powdered Kool Bloom, for 35 gallons of nutrient solution. I wanted to start slow and easy and was very disappointed, didn't try more. Definite increase in harshness of the end smoke, even with such a small addition.
Click to expand...

I knew some strains were hungrier than others for Mg, just not that hungry lol.. I recently had symptoms of too much Mg so I had to back off, I think I was around 45ppm of Mg in my feed formula. I use tap water but it is only 50ppm total I don't know how much of that is Mg or anything else but I don't think it can be that much, I do plan on getting it tested at some point just so I know..
 
Absolem

Absolem

Active member
nxsov180db said:
Do you use all products on the canna chart? If you go by the chart during that 1 week of using PK 13/14 it gives you:

N 103
P 156-165
K434-450

That seems like an insane amount of K lol. If you are only using the Aqua Flores and PK 13/14 it gives you:

N103
P126
K394
Click to expand...

It sure is a ton of PK. Canna does that to reset the cation exchange in the coco coir to favor more k. With Canna they have you add more of A and B as the grow advances. Adding more A increase N and Ca so they jam the pk to offset the Ca for flower.

I've ran my P as low as 40pmm in flower until week 6 when the plants no longer looked the right color green. I didn't notice any effect on the buds in respect to size. I don't really see a need to go over 80ppm of P in flower. I run P around 35ppm in veg kick it up to 60ppm in flower then week 3-5 I'll push it up to 80ppm. Adding more P in early flower will make the plants stretch more.

I grow in coco so I run less K due to coco coir releasing k at a rate of 30-50ppm as it degrades at a constant rate.

Peace
 
N

nxsov180db

Member
Absolem said:
It sure is a ton of PK. Canna does that to reset the cation exchange in the coco coir to favor more k. With Canna they have you add more of A and B as the grow advances. Adding more A increase N and Ca so they jam the pk to offset the Ca for flower.

I've ran my P as low as 40pmm in flower until week 6 when the plants no longer looked the right color green. I didn't notice any effect on the buds in respect to size. I don't really see a need to go over 80ppm of P in flower. I run P around 35ppm in veg kick it up to 60ppm in flower then week 3-5 I'll push it up to 80ppm. Adding more P in early flower will make the plants stretch more.

I grow in coco so I run less K due to coco coir releasing k at a rate of 30-50ppm as it degrades at a constant rate.

Peace
Click to expand...
The feed chart I referenced wasn't for coco.
 
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