Author: Mya Green

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Save Time, Money and Labour with BackCountry Blend

We designed the BackCountry Blend (BCB) feeding program as an economic choice for gardeners who want to spend less, save time and expend less labour in the process of getting the same reliable results. The outdoor season can be long, and over the course of months, gardeners using traditional liquid fertilizers can anticipate spending thousands of dollars on a complete feeding program. With BackCountry Blend, however, gardeners can expect to spend far less over the course of a season, while also saving time and labour in applying BCB, as no mixing, measuring or buffering is ever required. This year, we’ve detailed these benefits of BackCountry Blend in several blogs. Read the following passages for a summary of the money, time and labour savings of BackCountry Blend. 

BackCountry Blend Feed Program

What is BackCountry Blend? 

BackCountry Blend (BCB) is a granular, slow-release nutrient system that provides your plants with stable nutrition throughout periods of vegetative, flowering and ripening growth. The complete feed program comes in three parts: Grow, Bloom and Boost. While each product has the same application in the garden, each part has its own function based on the specific stage of plant growth. Furthermore, the Grow, Bloom and Boost formulations of BackCountry Blend come incorporated with TrueCoat technology: a proprietary blend of micronutrients that are amended into each pellet of BackCountry Blend. This ensures that plants remain healthy and unblemished by nutrient deficiencies throughout all stages of growth. 

To learn more about the individual parts, use and application of BackCountry Blend, read our blog titled: Elevate Your Outdoor Garden With BackCountry Blend.

How BackCountry Blend Saves Time, Money and Labour

With only three parts in the feeding program, BackCountry Blend was designed to give outdoor gardeners an economic and easy-to-use fertilizer that consistently saves time and labour. It’s true: few granular or powdered nutrient systems stand up against the quality yield produced by that of liquid feed programs. However, most of these tests are conducted in a controlled, and highly sophisticated indoor environment. During the outdoor season, control, duration and luck arguably affect the expectations and outcome of a yield. And so, for every outdoor gardener who wants to save time, money and labour, there is but one clear choice – BackCountry Blend.

Save Time 

Unlike liquid fertilizers that require bi-weekly feedings, mixing and constant buffering, BackCountry Blend saves growers time by being the simplest and most aggressive slow-release formula on the market. For reliable results, apply BackCountry Blend at a rate of 0.5-1 teaspoon per foot of plant height, and allow at least 3-5 weeks to pass before enriching the medium again. There is absolutely no guesswork or learning curve with BackCountry Blend: just broadcast the fertilizer over your medium and watch your crop thrive! 

Save Money

Among other nutrient systems specifically tailored for the outdoor garden, BackCountry Blend is the only feed program that promises economic nutrition without compromising results. In one of our early blogs, we described a cost-benefit analysis of using either liquid or slow-release fertilizer during the outdoor season. Throughout the article, it was shown that growers who used BackCountry Blend, as opposed to more complicated liquid fertilizers, saved approximately $959.95 over a 14 week period. Furthermore, it was found that growers who chose the slow-release fertilizer over liquid were able to supplement three full seasons of outdoor growing with an initial investment of $137.97. While the analysis mainly focuses on the upfront costs of fertilizer during the outdoor season, it also refers to some of the unparalleled benefits of slow-release fertilizer like savings on time and labour.

To find out more about saving money in the outdoor garden, read the blog: Save Money this Outdoor Season with Backcountry Blend

Save on Labour 

With a slow-release fertilizer like BackCountry Blend, you can expect a massive decrease in labour. In a typical indoor operation, gardeners apply liquid fertilizers in a number of different ways; most popularly, experts recommend adding plant food to a garden’s irrigation schedule every other day. So, over a 14-week outdoor season, it would not be unexpected for growers who use liquid plant food to mix, measure and balance nutrient solution over thirty-two times. Needless to say, the accumulated labour it takes to manage liquid fertilizer over such a long period of time can add up quickly. With BackCountry Blend, however, growers will amend their medium an average of six times over the growing season. Furthermore, this process of granular application requires no water reservoir, measuring, balancing or mixing. 

If you manage a garden at scale, training staff to use BCB will be a breeze. To read more about the labour-saving potential of BackCountry Blend, click on the blog: The Benefits of Slow-Release Fertilizer.

Bigfoot and BackCountry Blend 

We’ve detailed the practices of using BackCountry Blend during the outdoor season in the adventures of Bigfoot. In these blogs, Bigfoot is spotted, followed and documented using GreenPlanet’s slow-release fertilizer in his secret garden. Throughout this story, Bigfoot habitually relies on BCB as his crop’s main source of fertilizer. But even more interesting, in all the texts related to Bigfoot using BackCountry Blend in his secret garden, there is constant reference to the fertilizer’s ability to save the gardener time, money and labour. For example, in the last article in the campaign, Bigfoot was able to save enough money during the outdoor season to retire. Along with consistently saving time and labour, the low-cost and high efficiency of BackCountry Blend allowed Bigfoot to increase his profit margin, therefore allowing him to retire early. 

Bigfoot saved time and money with BackCountry Blend

All fun aside, the Bigfoot Campaign does command a certain point: BackCountry Blend is the ideal outdoor fertilizer for growers looking to increase profits, save time, and decrease labour during the outdoor season. To find out more about Bigfoot using BackCountry Blend in the garden this year, read the blog: Breaking News: Bigfoot Sighting in the Pacific Northwest. 

Want to save time, money and labour in the garden this season? Make the switch to BackCountry Blend! Contact a member of the GreenPlanet sales team, or your local garden supply store for product information and purchasing inquiries.

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How BackCountry Blend Boost Increases Bud Weight, Size and Hardness During Flower

The final weeks of flower during the outdoor season is an immensely important time. As the ideal summer weather fades into fall, plants in the garden become susceptible to dozens of damaging hazards. But even more important than protecting your crop against pests, disease and poor weather, is enhancing the potential of a crop’s final output. If you already use BackCountry Blend Grow and Bloom in the outdoor garden, be assured, you’re well on your way to a heavy, quality-focused harvest. However, among other additives that increase bud weight, size and hardness during flower, BackCountry Blend Boost is the only granular, slow-release fertilizer that promises economic nutrition, without compromising results. Read the passages below to find out more about the bud-enhancing benefits of BackCountry Blend Boost. 

What is BackCountry Blend Boost? 

BackCountry Blend (BCB) Boost is a controlled release granular bloom additive. Apply BCB Boost to soil or peat moss to provide your plants with a boost of PK during the flowering stage, or, add Boost seamlessly with the rest of GreenPlanet’s BackCountry Blend feeding program. The Boost portion of BCB was formulated to provide your outdoor plants with an extra dose of phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), and humic acid during the initial and later stages of flower.  Among other benefits like a relaxed feeding routine, low upfront costs and decreased labour requirements, BackCountry Blend is the only outdoor specific fertilizers that offer growers economic plant nutrition and quality results.

BackCountry Blend Boost: Use and Application 

For reliable results, apply BackCountry Blend Boost at a rate of 0.5-1 teaspoon(s) per foot of plant height. Depending on the maturity of your outdoor garden, apply BCB Boost to your crop six weeks before harvest or in the 9th-12th week of flowering growth. Broadcast the granular fertilizer evenly across the media, pre-amended your choice of potting soil, or pile your application of BCB under drip emitters or next to the stalk of the plant. Because BackCountry Blend Boost is such an aggressive formula, allow 3-5 weeks to pass before re-enriching your medium. Also, like most other feeding programs, the BackCountry Blend system has a prescribed method of use over time. To get the most out of the BCB feed program, review and follow the system on a week-by-week basis. 

Here is an example of the costs and application used with Backcountry Boost alongside Backcountry Blend Grow and Backcountry Blend Bloom as a complete Feed Program.

How (P) and (K) Boosters Increase Weight, Size and Hardness

Growers often use a variety of PK boosters to stimulate a chemical change that redirects energy and growth to the vertical tips of plants. If added at right time, a PK boost can increase the weight, size and hardness of buds and flowers. So, in the case of BackCountry Blend, amend this 0-18-19 fertilizer alongside your standard applications of BCB Bloom for the best results; or, add Boost as a standalone supplement to provide your crop with a variety of benefits. For example, if you were to apply BCB Boost to your medium in the 2nd-3rd week of flower, you might notice an increase in bud sites or the swelling of already existing flowers. Here’s what Rich Hamilton, writer for Maximum Yield magazine, says on the use of PK boosters in the garden:

It all depends on what feeds you are using and what you want your plants to do and when. Here are the effects of PK in a nutshell: PK used early tends to increase the amount of flower sites; PK used at the mid to later stages tends to concentrate on increasing what’s already there; PK used at the midpoint gives you the best of both worlds (but by definition also the best of none).

(Hamilton, 2016, para.17)

So, whatever feed system or nutrient routine you happen to use during the outdoor season, it’s clear that using a PK booster in specific stages of growth has the potential to increase bud quality and quantity. If you plan to try a PK supplement in the garden this year, try BackCountry Blend Boost as a standalone supplement to increase the size, weight and hardness of your crop’s flowers.

Want to learn more about BackCountry Blend? Read the blog: Elevate Your Outdoor Garden With BackCountry Blend.

Work Cited

  • Hamilton, R. (2016). In a pk panic? Maximum Yield. Retrieved March 5th, 2021 from MaximumYield.com 

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The Benefits of Slow-Release Fertilizer

In a garden where quality is the goal, liquid fertilizer programs, specifically those which offer a variety of organic, synthetic or mixed-method nutrition, time after time, produce the most quality-driven and consistent results. However, as the garden moves outdoors, the goals, costs, and expectations of a crop change. In this fundamental switch of environment, more and more growers have begun to realize the benefits of using slow-release fertilizer during the outdoor season. While using slow-release fertilizer this season, you can expect the following benefits in the garden: savings on time, labour and upfront costs.

With the season approaching, there a single formula trusted by the experienced outdoor gardener – GreenPlanet’s BackCountry Blend. Coming in three specific “parts”, BackCountry Blend is the complete, cost-effective and reliable system of plant nutrition that was specifically designed to save the outdoor grower time, money and labour. For the best results in the garden this year, follow the article below to learn more about the benefits of GreenPlanet’s BackCountry Blend. 

What is BackCountry Blend? 

BackCountry Blend (BCB) is a granular, slow-release nutrient system that provides your plants with stable nutrition throughout periods of vegetative, flowering and ripening growth. The complete feed program comes in three parts: Grow, Bloom and Boost. While each product has the same application in the garden, each part has its own function based on the stage of plant growth. Furthermore, the Grow, Bloom and Boost formulations of BackCountry Blend come incorporated with TrueCoat technology: a proprietary blend of micronutrients that are amended into each pellet of BackCountry Blend. This ensures that plants remain healthy and unblemished by nutrient deficiencies throughout all stages of growth. 

To learn more about the individual parts, use and application of BackCountry Blend, read our blog titled: Elevate Your Outdoor Garden With BackCountry Blend.

Benefits to Expect From BackCountry Blend 

Because of the economical value of BackCountry Blend, not to mention the easy use and application rate, growers can expect to save time, money and labour over the course of the outdoor season. Follow the passages below to find out exactly how BackCountry Blend affords gardeners the easiest and most profitable outdoor season possible. 

Save Time

Unlike liquid fertilizers that require bi-weekly feedings, mixing and constant buffering, Backcountry Blend saves growers time by being the simplest and most aggressive slow-release formula on the market.

Save Money

Among other nutrients systems specifically tailored for the outdoor garden, Backcountry Blend is the only feed program that promises significant cost savings without compromising results.

Save Labour

With a slow-release fertilizer like Backcountry Blend, you can expect a massive decrease in labour.

Save Time 

Unlike liquid fertilizers that require bi-weekly feedings, mixing and constant buffering, BackCountry Blend saves growers time by being the simplest and most aggressive slow-release formula on the market. For reliable results, apply BackCountry Blend at a rate of 0.5-1 teaspoon per foot of plant height, and allow at least 3-5 weeks to pass before enriching the medium again.

There is absolutely no guesswork or learning curve with BackCountry Blend: just broadcast the fertilizer over your medium and watch your crop thrive! 

Save Money 

In one of our early blogs, Save Money this Outdoor Season with Backcountry Blend, we described a cost-benefit analysis of using either liquid or slow-release fertilizer during the outdoor season. Throughout the article, it was shown that growers who used BackCountry Blend, as opposed to more complicated liquid fertilizers, saved approximately $959.95 over a 14 week period. Furthermore, it was found that growers who chose the slow-release fertilizer over liquid were able to supplement three full seasons of outdoor growing with an initial investment of $137.97. While the analysis mainly focuses on the upfront costs of fertilizer during the outdoor season, it also refers to some of the unparalleled benefits of slow-release fertilizer like savings on time and labour. 

Save Labour 

With a slow-release fertilizer like BackCountry Blend, you can expect a massive decrease in labour. In a typical indoor garden, liquid fertilizer may be applied in a number of different ways; most popularly, experts recommend adding plant food to a garden’s irrigation schedule every other day. So over a 14-week outdoor season, it would not be unexpected for growers to use liquid plant food to mix, measure and balance nutrient solution over thirty-two times. Needless to say, the accumulated labour it takes to manage liquid fertilizer over such a long period of time can add up quickly. With BackCountry Blend, however, growers will amend their medium an average of six times over the growing season. Furthermore, this process of granular application requires no water reservoir, measuring, balancing or mixing.

The average feeding amounts of 3 tsp or 15 grams was multiplied by 10 to fit the parameters of a 10 plant outdoor garden. 

 Want to save time, money and labour in the garden this season? Make the switch to BackCountry Blend! Contact a member of the GreenPlanet sales team, or your local garden supply store for product information and purchasing inquiries. 

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Save Money this Outdoor Season with Backcountry Blend

With strong genetics, ideal weather and quality sourced inputs, even novice growers can experience success during the outdoor season. New growers have taken to the outdoor garden for many reasons; but most notably, growing outside requires little to no upfront investment, as lighting systems, environmental hardware and digital controls are managed naturally by the spring and summer months. So, with the environment in the garden taken care of, there is only a single input that needs to be continually purchased – fertilizer. 

Among other nutrient systems specifically tailored for the outdoor garden, BackCountry Blend is the only feed program that promises economic nutrition without compromising results. Follow the article below for more information on the cost of fertilizer, and save money this season with GreenPlanet Nutrients BackCountry Blend.

The Cost of Fertilizer During the Outdoor Season 

The following passages are a cost-benefit analysis of the investment of nutrient “inputs” during the outdoor season. The analysis will show between two feeding programs, Hydro Fuel’s 4-Part liquid fertilizer and BackCountry’s Blend (BCB) slow-release nutrient system, that GreenPlanet’s BCB program evidently saves the grower both upfront and continual costs over the duration of the outdoor season. To minimize variables, consistent parameters and concepts have been set into our nutrient calculator throughout the analysis; these include: 

 

A 14 week, start to finish, outdoor season.
A nutrient reservoir of approximately 200 litres or 50 gallons.
A staggered feeding schedule of liquid nutrients twice per week. 
Ten outdoor plants with a maximum height of six feet.
An outdoor season with ideal weather conditions; for the purpose of this analysis, an ideal growing season (one without hazards) will be imagined.
An assumption that the benefits (yield, quality, size, aroma) of the outdoor season will be within a certain degree of closeness in either garden. 

The analysis will be broken down into two sections: one that will examine the upfront and overtime costs associated with liquid fertilizer, and one that will determine the cost of a granular, slow-release system. 

The Cost of Growing with Liquid Fertilizer

By using GreenPlanet’s Hydro Fuel 4-Part nutrient system, you can expect the upfront and recurring investment of fertilizer during the outdoor season to be approximately $1,097.92. Based on the parameters listed above, and by carefully following the nutrient calculations for Hydro Fuel’s 4-Part feed program, a 10L set of the Hydro Fuel nutrient system would be required for an outdoor garden of this size.

A full program includes the following: Hydro Fuel Grow A & B, Hydro Fuel Bloom A & B, Vitathrive Propagation Solution, Rezin, Massive Bloom Formulation and Liquid Weight. These are the nutrient amounts and requirements over a 14 week period: 

While there is obviously some variation in amounts and requirements as we examine each nutrient supplement, based on the “bundle” package gardeners receive when buying fertilizer in bulk amounts, the 10L system is the recommended start to finish quantity. The fertilizer volume amounts over a 14-week period were calculated by referring to the Hydro Fuel 4-Part feed program nutrient calculator. Sticking with the conceptualized parameters of the analysis, the reservoir size was set at 200L, the vegetative period was extended by three weeks, and the nutrient amounts were doubled to simulate feeding at least twice per indicated week. 

The Cost of Growing with Slow-Release Fertilizer

Using GreenPlanet’s BackCountry Blend formula in an outdoor garden of the same size will result in average fertilization costs of $137.97. Again, by following the concepts, garden parameters and nutrient calculations listed above, 10 plants with a maximum height of six feet would only require the smallest size of the BackCountry Blend feeding program.

This program includes BackCountry Blend Grow, BackCountry Blend Bloom and BackCountry Blend Boost, all in 5KG sizes. Here are the following nutrient and feeding requirements for the same 14-week growing season: 

Unlike the liquid feed program above, with the BackCountry Blend formula, there is absolutely no variation in fertilizer amounts. So, not only is the granular, slow-release fertilizer more cost-effective, but it also proposes increased simplicity, cuts down on labour costs, and, with nutrient enrichment only necessary 6 out of 14 weeks, the BackCountry Blend feeding system evidently suggests a more relaxed feeding schedule. The fertilizer volume amounts were calculated by referring to the BackCountry Blend feed program nutrient calculator. The average feeding amounts of 3 tsp or 15 grams was multiplied by 10 to fit the parameters of a 10 plant outdoor garden. 

Cost Comparison between the 4 Part Hydro Fuel Feed Program & BackCountry Blend Outdoor Feed Program

Above we’ve calculated the individual costs of growing with the Hydro Fuel Feed Program and the BackCountry Blend Outdoor Feed Program. Below we’ve summarized the costs for you to see the price difference.

The overall cost of growing with the Hydro Fuel 4-Part feed program:  

$1,097.92.

The overall cost of growing with the BackCountry Blend feed program:

$137.97

Conclusion

Based on the analysis above, and with the assumption that either feed program will result in consistent benefits, the BackCountry feed program is arguably the best fit for the outdoor garden. Not only is the BCB formula more cost-effective, coming in almost eight times cheaper than a liquid fertilizer program, but the additional decrease in labour and time is of added benefit to gardens at any scale. Furthermore, the BackCountry Blend feed program is a dry, granular product; meaning, that GreenPlanet’s BCB formula has an increased shelf life as opposed to liquid fertilizers that were exposed to air. For example, the analysis shows that a 10 plant garden could have over three successful seasons of outdoor growing on the initial investment of $137.97. 

Want to save time, money and labour in the garden this season? Make the switch to BackCountry Blend! Contact a member of the GreenPlanet sales team, or your local garden supply store for product information and purchasing inquiries. 

Save Money

Among other nutrient systems specifically tailored for the outdoor garden, BackCountry Blend is the only feed program that promises significant cost savings without compromising results.

Save Time

Unlike liquid fertilizers that require bi-weekly feedings, mixing and constant buffering, BackCountry Blend saves growers time by being the simplest and most aggressive slow-release formula on the market.

Save Labour

With a slow-release fertilizer like BackCountry Blend, you can expect a massive decrease in labour

Download the BackCountry Feed Program

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Elevate Your Outdoor Garden With BackCountry Blend

On the subject of plant food, it’s clear that liquid nutrients are held in the highest regard by the majority of experienced growers. Feeding programs, specifically those which offer a variety of organic, synthetic or mixed-method approaches to fertilization, time after time, produce the most quality-driven and consistent results. However, as the garden moves outdoors, the superiority of liquid nutrients becomes less of a consensus and more of a debate. This change in methodology is arguably sparked a simple cost-benefit analysis of the growing season. For example, if the cost of liquid fertilizer is continually integrated into the budget of an outdoor garden, the return on investment of the season is significantly reduced. And, in an outdoor garden, where quantity is the goal, quality-driven liquid plant food does little to replicate the flower produced in an indoor environment. 

With the season approaching, there is one formula trusted by the experienced outdoor gardener – GreenPlanet Nutrients BackCountry Blend. Coming in three specific “parts”, BackCountry Blend is the complete, cost-effective and reliable system of plant nutrition that was specifically designed to save the outdoor grower time, money and labour. For the best results in the garden this year, follow the article below to learn more about BackCountry Blend. 

Save Time

Unlike liquid fertilizers that require bi-weekly feedings, mixing and constant buffering, Backcountry Blend saves growers time by being the simplest and most aggressive slow-release formula on the market.

Save Money

Among other nutrients systems specifically tailored for the outdoor garden, Backcountry Blend is the only feed program that promises significant cost savings without compromising results.

Save Labour

With a slow-release fertilizer like Backcountry Blend, you can expect a massive decrease in labour.

For us at YETIVA, BACKCOUNTRY BLEND worked flawlessly. AFFORDABILITY, STABLE & TIME SAVING!!! We were under time constraints and just couldn’t have been busier, BACKCOUNTRY made daily and weekly maintenance a breeze and saved time in so many ways. PLUS our plants had never been happier. Not to mention the reps and staff at GreenPlanet answering any and all questions we had. We here at YETIVA will be continuing to use GREENPLANET from here on out.

YETIVA FARMS –Oklahoma owned and operated OMMA certified medical marijuana facility

What is BackCountry Blend? 

BackCountry Blend (BCB) is a granular, slow-release nutrient system that provides your plants with stable nutrition throughout periods of vegetative, flowering and ripening growth. The complete feed program comes in three parts: Grow, Bloom and Boost. While each product has the same application in the garden, each part has its own function based on the specific stage of plant growth. Furthermore, the Grow, Bloom and Boost formulations of BackCountry Blend come incorporated with TrueCoat technology: a proprietary blend of micronutrients that are amended into each and every pellet of BackCountry Blend. This ensures that plants remain healthy and unblemished by nutrient deficiencies throughout all stages of growth. 

BackCountry Blend: Grow 

Backcountry Blend Grow contains a carefully selected blend of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), and calcium (Ca) that are measured specifically for the vegetative stage. With an N-P-K ratio of 16-10-8, BCB Grow is an aggressive vegetative formula with high nitrogen and calcium content that promotes general health, excessive spurts of vertical growth and the production of broad, green leaves and foliage. 

BackCountry Blend: Bloom 

BackCountry Blend Bloom contains a full spectrum of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), and calcium (Ca) that are measured specifically for the flowering stage. The Bloom formula of BCB includes higher levels of phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) that plants require during the flowering stage. Phosphorus plays a key role in essential functions of the plant such as photosynthesis, transfer of energy, and nutrient movement through the plant. Potassium aids in the conversion of phosphorus into energy your plants can use and strengthens cell walls to support larger yields. 

BackCountry Blend: Boost 

BackCountry Blend Boost is designed to be used in conjunction with BackCountry Blend Bloom during the flowering stage. Boost provides your outdoor plants with an extra dose of phosphorus (P), potassium (K), and calcium (Ca), as well as the addition of humic acid. Phosphorus and potassium are vital elements that aid in the development of flowers and the movement of nutrients through the plant. Calcium plays a major role in cell wall composition and also helps maintain chemical balances in the soil. Humic acid aids in the movement of nutrients through the grow medium, making them easier for the plant to absorb. These added benefits improve overall yields, floral development, colour, aroma and hardening in late flower. 

Use and Application

For reliable results, apply BackCountry Blend Grow, Bloom and Boost at a rate of 0.5-1 teaspoon(s) per foot of plant height. Begin application of the BCB formula when plants are well established in pots or beds and have at least 8-12 inches of vertical growth. Broadcast the granular fertilizer evenly across the media, pre-amended your choice of soil-based media, or pile your application of BCB under drip emitters or next to the stalk of the plant. Because BackCountry Blend is such an aggressive formula, allow 3-5 weeks to pass before re-enriching your medium. Like most other feeding programs, the BackCountry Blend feed system has a prescribed method of use over time. To get the most out of the BCB feed program, review and follow the system on a week-by-week basis. 

Want to elevate your garden with BackCountry Blend? GreenPlanet is here to help! Contact a member of the GreenPlanet sales team, or your local garden supply store for product information and purchasing inquiries. 

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Tips on Growing in Deep Water Culture

When mastered, deep water culture (DWC) systems have the highest potential for water, nutrient and labour savings. Not to mention, if the right strain is selected for a DWC system, there is essentially no limit to the size of plant you might grow. Other benefits to DWC systems include a relaxed and automated feeding schedule, enhanced growth rates, simplistic scalability and clean, aromatic, sugar-coated flowers. While deep water-culture operations have amazing potential, the path to creating a reliable system is often challenging, as inputs like water temperature, soluble fertilizer, aeration and recirculation need to be set in place and managed at all times. For tips on growing a successful crop in deep water-culture, follow the passages below:

What is Deep Water Culture? 

Like most other hydroponic systems, deep water culture is the method of growing outside of mediums like soil; however, DWC takes the science of hydroponics a step further and submerges plants completely in aerated water, which affords plants the most oxygenated and nutrient-filled environment possible. DWC systems can be constructed in varying patterns, are highly scalable, and use nothing but water, nutrients and hydroponic medium to support plants during growth. While it is possible to construct your own DWC system, this process can be extremely complicated. So, if your experience in engineering hydroponic systems are limited, this job may be better left to the experts. You can find DWC systems to suit all kinds of growers, from novice to commercial. To browse GreenPlanet Wholesale’s selection of recirculating deep water culture systems, click here. 

Current Culture H2O Under Current System
Current Culture H2O Under Current System Evolution XL 13
Current Culture H2O Under Current System Double Barrel

The Benefits of DWC Systems 

Because the root-zone is surrounded by nutrient solution, there is no buffer-time between root and nutrient exchange. This leads plants to grow faster and more vigorously throughout periods of growth and bloom. Royal Queen Seeds, an international proponent of the growing potential of DWC systems, affirms this claim in the lines: 

Plants grown in DWC setups have easier access to oxygen and nutrients, which means they spend less energy searching for nutrients and developing roots. As a result, plants will reward you with fast vegetative growth and excellent yields. In a good DWC set up with the right nutrients and strain, cannabis can grow as much as 10cm in a single day!

(Royal Queen Seeds, 2018, para. 4)

Now that the method and potential benefits of growing in deep water-culture are clear, let’s look at some of the features of DWC that protect your crop from unwanted issues. 

Water Temperature

One of the most important features of a DWC system to manage is water temperature. Because the environment of an indoor garden is quite warm, usually sitting around 80-85 degrees Fahrenheit (26-29C), the water inside hydroponic reservoirs can begin to heat up as well. As the temperatures of the reservoir rise, say above 72F (22C), this can cause major issues for plants growing in DWC systems. For instance, in warm water, oxygen levels begin to plummet, creating an anaerobic environment, and leave plants exposed to issues like root-rot, pythium and unwanted bacteria cultures. To combat this issue, it is highly recommended to use fans, coils, insulation or chillers to cool your water source. GroWell, an online source of knowledge and growing equipment, has this to say on the importance of temperature in DWC systems: 

One of the best methods for preventing pythium from occurring in recirculating hydroponic systems is to maintain the optimum nutrient solution temperatures by insulating the reservoir and using a chiller. Most pythium species responsible for hydroponic crop damage are very active at a temperature range of 20-30C, so try and keep the solution at a cool 18-20C.

(GroWell, 2014, para. 21)

In short, for your best chance of fighting against root disease, keep water temperatures cool, provide your roots with vigorous amounts of oxygen, and if necessary, install external chillers to keep rising temperatures at bay.

Soluble Nutrient Systems 

The next feature to examine when managing a DWC system is nutrients.In short, not all types of nutrient systems are meant to be used in hydroponic gardens. Variants of fish fertilizers, for instance, would perform very poorly in an aerated, and constantly recirculating system like deep water culture. In a matter of days, if not hours, the enzymes, microbes and proteins found in fish hydrolysate would begin to bubble, foam, and gurgle, quickly becoming the perfect breeding ground for harmful bacteria and fungi. Instead of sticking to your favourite outdoor or organic fertilizer, try finding a soluble, highly concentrated and well-reviewed nutrient system that is specific for soilless mediums. To browse GreenPlanet’s selection of nutrient systems, click here. 

Aeration and Recirculation

Two features, aeration and re-circulation, are both fundamental aspects of a well-functioning deep water-culture system. Since plants in DWC systems are submerged in water and are outside of their “normal” environmental conditions, oxygen levels within the reservoir must remain high to both enhance the plant’s metabolism and simulate an oxygenated environment. Likewise, a recirculating system can provide plants with a steady stream of nutrients, fresh water and oxygen from connected buckets and water storage tanks. For the best results in a DWC system, make sure your equipment functioning as advertised, and change airstones, pumps and additional parts when needed. 

Check Your Water Pumps
Remember To Change Your Air Stones
Ensure Your Air Pump Is Running Smoothly.

Want to start growing in your own deep water-culture system? GreenPlanet is here to help! Discover which fertilizer, medium or method would work best for your garden. For all other questions, contact a member of the GreenPlanet sales team, or your local garden supply store for product information and purchasing inquiries. 

Works Cited

  • Royal Queen Seeds: Cannabis Blog. (2018). Get huge yields using deep water culture (DWC). Retrieved January 15th, 2020 from Royalqueenseeds.com
  • GroWell: UK. (2014). Got rotting roots? Pythium: An in-depth analysis. Retrieved January 15th, 2020 from Growell.co.uk. 

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Understanding Plant Nutrition and Factors That Influence Availability

Making sure you are grabbing the proper bottle of fertilizer for your crop is as important as other factors in a garden that influence a successful harvest. But even choosing a high-quality nutrient doesn’t necessarily automatically equal success. In order to produce a consistently healthy crop, gardeners must understand the connection between plant biology and the factors available which can influence a successful outcome. Understanding this connection, even at its most basic level, can help gardeners achieve faster periods of growth, and heavier, more quality-focused yields. Throughout this article, we will be examining the parts of plant food, as well as tools available to gardeners that ensure nutrient availability across periods of growth and bloom. 

What is N-P-K? 

N-P-K is an acronym for the most readily available macronutrients found in plant food. These important elements, nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K), are the building blocks of plant nutrition and are an essential part of a plant’s diet throughout the periods of vegetative and flowering growth. Nitrogen, arguably the most important soluble macronutrient is responsible for creating the green parts in plant stems and leaf growth (Rienders, 2001, p. 108). Phosphorous and potassium, on the other hand, are utilized by the plant as energy, sugar, and essential oil carries, while also promoting plant disease and temperature hardiness, as well as early maturity and enhanced flavour and colour in flowering plants (Rienders, 2001, p. 108).

Nutrient Availability and pH

What’s even more important than understanding the parts of plant food, is realizing the potential these elements have under ideal conditions. The unit of measurement which directly affects the uptake of fertilizer in any hydroponic and soil-based system is the pH, or, the potential hydrogen of a given nutrient solution or substance. pH is the measurement of acidity or alkalinity in any given substance on a scale of 0-14, with 7 being neutral. In the field of gardening, however, pH is the main factor that dictates the uptake of nutrients in the root-zone; and so, depending on the pH of your plant’s medium and nutrient solution, your plants may uptake more or less of a specific element.  Author of The Growers Handbook, David Robinson, dives deeper into the subject of nutrient uptake, availability and pH, by stating: 

pH is an essential factor in the uptake of nutrients. While available nutrients remain fairly stable in regular soil, pH fluctuations in a hydroponic garden will dramatically affect whether nutrients are more or less available. Study the chart provided to understand how different nutrients are more or less available on different sides of the scale.

(Robinson, 2012, p. 14)

The pH Scale and Nutrient Uptake

The chart that Robinson mentions can be found below; this guide illustrates a list of available elements that have the potential for uptake at various pH levels. As you can see, for plants, the “sweet-spot” for nutrient uptake seems to fall between the ranges of 6.0 – 6.5. At this level, plants have the ability to uptake essential macro-elements such as nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium discussed in the former half of this article. Furthermore, at an adequate pH range, plants have access to abundant sources of micronutrients which help ward off common deficiencies and lead to the faster and healthier development of new growth. 

Adapted from www.plantsgalore.com

Tiers of Feeding: PPM

Another tool of measurement available to gardeners is PPM, or Parts Per Million, which measures the concentration of a nutrient solution (Robinson, 2012, p. 17). The affordances of this tool have led to some general conclusions about the tiers of feeding in the gardening community. For fruiting and flowering plants, for example, there is a general consensus regarding the scale at which plants in different stages of growth can be fed. Again, borrowing from The Growers Handbook, David Robinson illustrates this consensus in the lines: 

In most situations, plants do not require a PPM any higher than 1400. Often the same results or better can be achieved without exceeding 1000 PPM. It is very important to know the requirements of the particular plant that you are growing. Some plants are heavy feeders while others can only handle moderate food levels. The size of the plant also plays a role in the amount of food needed. Obviously larger plants can handle more food while smaller plants cannot..

(Robinson, 2012, p. 18) 

If you’re curious about acceptable tiers of feeding throughout the different stages of plant growth, consult the guide below for a general program (Robinson, 2012, p. 18). 

  • Cuttings – 300 PPM
  • Babies – 400-600 PPM
  • Vegetative 700-1000 PPM
  • Flowering 1000-1400 PPM 

Maximizing Nutrient Uptake: Connecting N-P-K, pH and PPM

To maximize the rate at which your plant’s uptake available nutrients, combine the knowledge of this article in your daily gardening practices. First, make sure you’re using a nutrient system with a well-rounded N-P-K ratio. Second, measure and buffer the pH of your nutrient solution to maintain an acceptable range; as stated above, the most common range for steady nutrient uptake is between 6.0 – 6.5. Lastly, utilize available testing equipment to measure the inputs of your garden. PPM is one among many ways of testing the content of your nutrient solution, and is, as Robinson states, “your eyes when it comes to mixing a nutrient solution” (2012, p .19). 

Cover Your Bases 

To ensure a clean, quality-focused crop, cover your bases with a GreenPlanet Nutrients feed program. To learn more about the base nutrient systems offered by GreenPlanet Nutrients, read the blog titled: Understanding the Parts of GreenPlanet Nutrients Base Fertilizer Programs. For all other inquires, contact a member of the GreenPlanet sales team, or your local garden supply store for product information and purchasing inquiries. 

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Understanding the Feed Program: Dual Fuel

Meet GreenPlanet Nutrient’s Dual Fuel feed program – the 2-part nutrient system which emphasizes simplicity, reliability and results in the garden. Built for beginners, experts, hobbyists, and commercial growers, the Dual Fuel feeding system makes no apologies for being the easiest and most economical fertilizer on the market. Testing has shown that using Dual Fuel alone would reasonable ensure a successful harvest; however, by combining GreenPlanet’s aggressive 2-part formula with other additives like Vitathrive, Massive Bloom Formulation, Rezin, and Liquid Weight, a confident outcome is not only probably, but guaranteed. For tips on getting the most out of the Dual Fuel feed program, follow the passages below. 

GreenPlanet’s 2-part formula with other additives like Vitathrive, Massive Bloom Formulation, Rezin and Liquid Weight

What is a Feed Program? 

A feed program is a schedule of plant nutrition that can be mapped in terms of fertilizer dosage, ratio, supplementation and use overtime. Usually containing several bottles, a complete feeding program should contain supplements including a base nutrient fertilizer, a vitamin supplement, a bloom booster, a source of carbohydrates and a trichome enhancer. By combining the inputs in a feeding program, prompted with other factors that produce a confident yield, growers can expect their garden to produce the most quality-driven harvest possible. To browse a complete list of feed programs available at GreenPlanet Nutrients, click here. 

The 2 Part Dual Fuel Feed Program

The Dual Fuel program was designed for growers who want to get the most out of their garden. As the largest and most highly variable input in the garden, fertilizer is something that is constantly being purchased, tinkered with, and improved upon. However, with GreenPlanet’s Dual Fuel program, the tinkering can stop and the rewards can begin. Possibly the easiest and most economical way to garden, the Dual Fuel program is one that can be mastered by even the most inexperienced grower.

Boasting an aggressive NPK ratio, high concentration rates, and a stable pH range, the Dual Fuel program is unmatched by competitors in terms of content, value and reliability. Dual Fuel is the perfect choice for growers who want to produce a clean harvest, free of headaches, mishaps and challenges. However, before committing your garden to GreenPlanet’s 2-part program, consult a description of each supplement included in the kit below:

Dual Fuel 1: Base Nutrient

Dual Fuel 1 is the nitrogen (N) heavy component of GreenPlanet’s 2-part system. Loaded with other important micronutrients like calcium, copper, iron and zinc, Dual Fuel 1 will be your plant’s centre of essential elements that promote green growth, broad leaves and manage nutrient deficiencies. Furthermore, after mixing Dual Fuel 1 & 2 together in the right ratios, the pH of your nutrient solution will adjust to a range of 6.0 – 6.3.

Dual Fuel 2: Base Nutrient

Unlike Dual Fuel 1, Dual Fuel 2 compliments the feeding program by being phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) heavy. Not only does the other half of the 2-part program supply plants with a powerful kick of (P) and (K), but it also contains important elements like magnesium and sulphur. Arguably the simplest and most reliable formula on the market, Dual Fuel 1 & 2 are recommended to be used in a 1:1 ratio throughout a plant’s lifecycle. 

Vitathrive Propagation Solution: Additive Nutrient

Vitathrive is GreenPlanet’s specially formulated vitamin supplement. Use Vitathrive aggressively throughout the vegetative stage, on transplant day, and during any period of stress to increase root growth, reduce internal stress and strengthen any plant’s immune response. The main supplementary component of Vitathrive, Thiamine or vitamin B1, has been shown to be a major inhibitor of plant resilience and helps protect your crop from stressors like pests, disease, high temperatures and drought. (Subki et al, 2018, p. 37). 

Massive Bloom Formulation: Additive Nutrient

Massive Bloom Formulation is GreenPlanet’s premier flowering additive, formulated with all of the necessary macro and micro-elements required to achieve an increase in flower size. As well as providing several additional beneficial properties, such as L-amino acids and a source of carbohydrates, Massive is the perfect blooming supplement to pair with the aggressive elements in the Dual Fuel program.

Rezin: Additive Nutrient

Rezin is GreenPlanet’s flowering additive formulated to enhance the natural processes within flowering plants that produce flavour and aroma. With no PPM, Rezin can be used with any base nutrient program until harvest to produce large, sugar-coated flowers. Now known for enhancing the “entourage effect” (Russo, 2019, para. 17), Rezin is one proprietary supplement that is a must-have for any quality-driven garden. 

Entourage Effect: The theory that the synergistic effect of THC, flavonoids, cannabinoids and terpenes all contribute to the overall “experience” of cannabis consumption. 

Liquid Weight: Additive Nutrient

Liquid Weight is a supplement blend of simple carbohydrates that support beneficial microbial life in the root zone. This leads to an increase in the absorption of essential nutrients that help develop impressive aromatic flowers and fruits. Plants spend an amazing amount of energy-releasing sugars like cellulose into the root-zone; so, by supplementing your plant’s expenditures with additional carbs, you can be sure the beneficial microbes in your soil will be plentifully fed, which in turn will support the cultivation and growth of your living medium.

Using the Feed Program 

Like a recipe, the Dual Fuel feeding program has the best results when the formula is followed. As explained above, a feeding program is a schedule of plant nutrition that can be mapped in terms of fertilizer dosage, ratio, supplementation and use overtime. Throughout the weeks of vegetative and flowering growth, the Dual Fuel feeding program will guide the grower through different stages of a plant’s life, and offer general feeding ratios, doses and helpfully supplementation tips overtime. All the measurements of plant food on GreenPlanet’s feeding programs are described in millilitres of fertilizers per litre of water.

Features and Considerations  

At a glance, you’ll notice a few distinguishing features about the Dual Fuel feeding program: first, only certain products and supplements are recommended for use in specific stages of plant growth. For example, the feeding program is split into two stages: vegetative and flowering growth. In these different stages, only certain supplements are recommended for use; for instance, you’ll notice that products that inhibit certain outcomes are only used in specific weeks of the growing cycle. Vitathrive, for example, is only recommended for use during the vegetative stage, and flowering weeks 3 – 7, taking into account that the plant’s internodal stretching may be enhanced by supplementing increased amounts of vitamin B1. In short, with all the product testing that has gone into formulating the Dual Fuel feed program, the best thing you can do for your plants is to follow the prescribed method of use. 

Our feed charts are split into two stages: vegetative and flowering.

Another aspect of the feeding chart to examine is the rise and gradual plateau of the recommended Parts Per Million (PPM) of your nutrient solution. PPM is a unit of measurement which describes the concentration of a solution; in this case, since we are examining fertilizer, PPM can be seen as a measurement that determines the strength and concentration of dissolved elements within a nutrient solution. While following the Dual Fuel feed program, you’ll notice that the PPM of you’re nutrient solution will gradually increase as you move into the flowering stage, finally plateauing in weeks 2 – 6, followed by a gradual decrease in strength as you move towards the final weeks of flush. These general measurements are based on the assumption that as time progresses, your plants will become larger, and therefore be able to digest a more concentrated nutrient solution.

As plants go from the vegetative stage to the flowering stage of growth, their nutrient requirements increase.

Want to get your plants started with the Dual Fuel feed program? Shop below!

For all other inquiries, contact a member of the GreenPlanet sales team, or your local garden supply store for product information and purchasing inquiries. 

Works Cited

  • Russo, E. (2019). The case for the entourage effect and conventional breeding of clinical cannabis: No “strain,” no gain. Frontiers in Plant Science. Retrieved, January 14th from US National Library of Medicine.
  • Subki, A. (2018). The role of thiamine in plants and current perspectives in crop improvement. B Group Vitamins – Current Uses and Perspective. Retrieved, January 14th, 2020 from ResearchGate.net 

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The Benefits of Hydroponics in the Garden

When faced with the task of gardening indoors, there are many systems, styles and cultural practices that can lead growers towards a successful harvest. However, among other systems that seek to reward gardeners with the most fruitful and quality-driven harvests, styles of “hydroponic” horticulture are arguably the most reliable. While other systems utilize soil, peat or other mediums to support plants during a crop, a true hydroponic system relies on nothing but water to facilitate nutrient to root-zone exchange and offers the gardener reduced water, nutrient and labour expenditures throughout the lifecycle of a plant. If you’re interested in saving your garden time, money and natural resources, then growing with hydroponics may be a good fit. Follow the article below for a detailed description of hydroponics and the most popular water-working systems in the industry.

What is Hydroponics?

Hydroponics is the science and method of growing plants outside substrates like soil, and typically involves the “working” of water to strategically satisfy the needs of growing plants. This definition, however, can be used quite loosely, as a “hydroponic” garden can be described as any system which utilizes technology in order to irrigate plants that are not in soil. In this sense, even a relatively primitive drip irrigation system can be thought of as hydroponic. The main “goal” or strategy of hydroponic gardening, however, is to manage the growth of plants by maintaining precise measurements of water and nutrients. With these goals in mind, gardeners can typically expect the following advantages (among others) from growing in a hydroponic system: 

A “hydroponic” garden can be described as any system which utilizes technology in order to irrigate plants that are not in soil.

Water Savings

Although different, all hydroponic systems have a single common feature: a reservoir. A reservoir’s function is to store water and liquid nutrients in constant supply. Depending on the system, the reservoir will expel these growth-enhancing compounds by the force of gravity, or an automated pump. So, where are the water savings? Unlike a traditional outdoor garden, where the gardener would hook-up a hose line to the house or garden shed and water plants until run-off, a hydroponic reservoir recycles waste-water and collects the run-off from irrigated plants back into its original holding tank. In this way, a recirculating hydroponic system, especially when driven at scale, can save growers hundreds, if not thousands of gallons of water per crop. 

Nutrient Savings

This advantage pairs hand in hand with the point explained above. If the waste-water in a hydroponic system is recirculating back into the reservoir after every irrigation, it is subsequently collected and added back to the sum of water held in the holding tank. This feature of a recirculating hydroponic system ensures that unused water and nutrients can be stored for later use. Furthermore, unlike a traditional irrigation system, a recirculating reservoir, if properly aerated, can function without a water and nutrient change for an average of ten days. 

Labour Savings

Perhaps the most important advantage to expect from a hydroponic system is the savings of time and labour. In short, hydroponic systems that are governed by a timer do not need to be manually irrigated. This feature can save growers valuable time, and costs of labour on a larger scale. Want to manage your garden from a distance? Check out TrolMaster’s line of irrigation technology available at GreenPlanet Wholesale!

Types of Hydroponic Systems 

Now that we’ve covered the expected advantages of growing hydroponically, it’s time to examine the types of potential systems that seek to promote these growth-enhancing properties. Now, while this list describes perhaps the most popular systems, it is in no way exhaustive. And, although the systems appear different, they all attempt to facilitate the goal of providing plants with natural patterns of growth through more technologically efficient means. Before choosing your system from the list, make sure you’ve invested in the necessary tools to manage the inputs of your hydroponic system; these may include a digital pH monitoring system, a PPM or TDS meter, and, depending on the type and size of your system, water or coil chillers may be essential. 

If you are looking for a simple, easy-to-use nutrient system for your hydroponic system, look no further than the GreenPlanet Nutrients Dual Fuel feed program.

Drip Irrigation

Perhaps the easiest system to manage, a drip irrigation system can be installed from lengths of premium flexible hose, poly mainline and/or PVC pipe. From the mainline, smaller, even more flexible tubing, commonly referred to as “spaghetti” hose, is extended to the sites of plants for irrigation. All the advantages explained in the section above are present in a drip irrigation system, as pumps that feed the nutrient solution into the mainline can be automated by simple timers. Additionally, if plants are suspended above the reservoir on a flood table, all the waste-water has an opportunity to be recirculated into the holding tank. 

Drip Irrigation Diagram Adapted From www.nosoilsolutions.com

Flood and Drain (Ebb & Flow)

A flood a drain system is arguably the industry’s most reliable water-based system. In a standard ebb & flow system, plants are stabilized on tables in a variety of potential media, including peat, coco, rockwool and hydrostone. Water is then pumped up to the table from a reservoir which saturates the medium and then is left to drain naturally through bulkhead fittings back into the reservoir. If you’re new to hydroponics, this system is one that can be mastered after only a single crop.

Flood And Drain Diagram Adapted From www.nosoilsolutions.com

Aeroponics

An aeroponic system uses small fittings attached to the mainline pipe to mist the root-zone of plants. The waste-water which runs off the root-tips is then recollected in the reservoir for later use. Unlike the other systems in this list, aeroponic gardens have the greatest potential for water and nutrient savings; however, this system is known to be very tricky to master, and aeroponic gardens require several misting cycles an hour. So, be sure to keep an eye on your crop! 

Aeroponics Diagram Adapted From www.nosoilsolutions.com

Deep Water Culture (DWC)

Great for plants that resemble trees, a deep water culture system houses a crop in large buckets or totes and immerses them completely in aerated water. Like an aeroponic garden, this system has amazing potential for water and nutrient savings, because not a drop of nutrient solution is wasted. These systems can be fabricated from hardware found in garden stores, or bought pre-made and assembled at home from manufacturers like Current Culture H20. 

Deep Water Culture Diagram Adapted From www.nosoilsolutions.com

Ready to elevate your garden? Find out which medium would benefit your system the most by reading the blog: The Difference Between Organic and Synthetic Gardening. Discover which medium, fertilizer and method of use is the best choice for you and your garden. For all other questions, contact a member of the GreenPlanet sales team, or your local garden supply store for product information and purchasing inquiries. 

Growing in a hydroponic system? Check out our feed program bundles:

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Growers Who Should Be Using Dual Fuel in the Garden

Committing to a brand of plant food is perhaps one of the most important decisions to be made in the garden. Choosing a specific fertilizer, whether it be organic, mineral-based, soluble, or slow-release, will determine several different and varying outcomes throughout the growing periods of a plant’s lifecycle, and at harvest time. For example, if you choose to garden organically, this choice will affect the options of growing media and styles of cultivation compatible with organic fertilizers. The same reasoning applies to those who side with synthetic fertilizers, as some mineral-based fertilizers are labelled as “hydro-specific”, and are more or less recommended for use in coco, rockwool, or water-based mediums. 

However, among variants of mineral-based fertilizers available in today’s market, there is one that stands out to consumers as possibly the most concentrated, versatile, and affordable base nutrient system – GreenPlanet Nutrients Dual Fuel. Whether you’re new to the trade or have been growing for decades, Dual Fuel can offer growers everywhere the simplicity and quality-driven results so desperately needed in the garden. Interested? The following is a list of growers who should be using GreenPlanet’s Dual Fuel in the garden.

The Novice

Don’t be ashamed – if you’re a novice grower, dealing with liquid fertilizers for the first time is a challenge, especially when the stack of nutrients involves complicated ratios and constant pH balancing. As a beginner, all you need for a successful garden is two bottles: Dual Fuel 1 & 2. Plain and simple, it’s easy to use. Dual Fuel was designed to balance perfectly in water at a range of around 6.0 – 6.2; so, although checking the pH of your nutrient solution is a good habit, it is in no way required to ensure the efficacy of your daily feeding schedule. With this attribute, Dual Fuel can help save you time in your daily gardening routine, as well as the misfortune of feeding your plants at an undesirable pH range.

Even more attractive to beginners is the unmatched utility of the Dual Fuel base nutrients. In a sense, it’s foolproof. As mentioned above, Dual Fuel was formulated to be used in a 1:1 ratio with each part, which means no matter the volume nutrient to be mixed, the ratio of Dual Fuel 1 to 2 will remain constant. This again saves the gardener time and headache, as feeding schedules are no longer required if you’re only using Dual Fuel 1 & 2. 

Here’s a tip: if you’re at all worried you’ve been using Dual Fuel incorrectly, check to see if both bottles have the same amount of fertilizer left. If both bottles have equal amounts, you’re using the product correctly. In the case you’re over or under a few drops, don’t worry, this will not harm your plants. That’s the thing about Dual Fuel, don’t overthink – just grow!

Want to give Dual Fuel a go? You can get growing with Dual Fuel with our handy starter kits!

The Expert

If you’ve been gardening for years, it’s safe to say you’ve tried your fair share of liquid nutrient programs. Well, it’s time to stop searching for the perfect nutrient stack and settle on Dual Fuel. Just as Dual Fuel has its advantages for beginners, these attributes are multiplied when its aggressive formula is given to experts in the field. While beginners may be more zealous about trying different varieties of plant food, after years of cultivation, experts only look for a few things while purchasing fertilizers: complete ingredients, affordability, and results. 

Lucky for experts growing with GreenPlanet, the Dual Fuel nutrient system fits this bill. Possibly the most complete 2-Part on the market, Dual Fuel 1 & 2 are packed full of essential elements for plant health. For instance, a brief consultation with the guaranteed analysis of ingredients will reveal the long list of compounds that go into each bottle. Not only does the Dual Fuel formulation have a balanced NPK ratio for vegetative and flowering growth, but the list of essential micronutrients in the bottles are vast, and include important elements like calcium, magnesium, sulphur, copper, zinc and more. 

The Commercial Grower

If you operate a large garden, you’re not doing it alone; it’s no secret that you need many hands to produce a quality driven product. However, the overseer of a garden is responsible for many things, one of which is instructing the staff on the processes behind mixing and balancing liquid nutrients and water. This can often be a taxing process, filled with trial and error, multiple learning curves, upsetting crops and poor delivery of high-quality products. However, with the Dual Fuel program in the mix, these worries are thrown to the wayside, as the pH stability and seamless mixing patterns of this product evidently attempt to flatten the learning curve of any potential master grower. In turn, these attributes will arguably speed up production time, and lead to a cleaner, happier garden.

Want to see Dual Fuel in action? See the results in the documentary series Growing Exposed, and join the team as they visit Oregon’s very own, Three Finger Farm. 

The Minimalist

Dual Fuel 1 & 2 are hyper-concentrated, with the average application (depending on plant age, size and stage) coming in at 1.0 – 2.0 ml per litre. With its marginally low upfront cost, this program is a dream for the minimalist operator who is looking for an economical nutrient system that can produce consistent results.

Unlike indoor gardening hardware, like lighting equipment, ventilation gear and other environmental controls, fertilizer is something that is always being purchased. In response to this inevitability, GreenPlanet Nutrients formulated Dual Fuel, a program that attempts to shorten the periods between costly trips to the garden supply store. Dual Fuel’s hyper-concentration and easy mixing habits lead to less waste and more value per litre than any competitor on the market. In short, for all of us who value a minimalist perspective in the garden, there is no base nutrient simpler than Dual Fuel. Just add Dual Fuel in a 1:1 ratio at the recommended rate, and watch your plant explode with both vertical and lateral growth. 

Grow with our easy to mix and highly concentrated Dual Fuel Feed Program.
Growing in an AutoPot Watering System? We have a feed program just for you.

No matter your experience, preferences or the size of the garden, the Dual Fuel program can assist in providing you, and your plants with the stability, ease, and value you deserve and expect from GreenPlanet Nutrients.

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Medi One’s Role in an Organic Garden

A large debate has always been centred around the benefits of organic versus synthetic farming. Mineral-based fertilizers have their place in specific hydroponic systems, such as recirculating reservoirs or aeroponic applications. But for gardeners who prefer to produce crops in coco or peat-based mediums, the debate is left wide-open, as a drain to waste garden utilizes chemicals, organics or mixed-method approaches to nutrient enrichment efficiently and with little resistance throughout the plant’s life cycle. Because the garden is full of variables, the choice to provide a heavier, more quality-driven crop is often shadowed by more important factors such as plant genetics, environmental conditions and gardening techniques. However, in specific situations, it’s evident that choosing the right fertilizer can make or break a garden.  

Organic growing is a great option for coco or peat-based mediums!

So, why the debate? Although the benefits of using an organic nutrient arguably rival that of synthetics, there are two simple worries associated with using organic fertilizers in the garden: control and nutrient availability. In an average organic garden, fertilizers like blood meal, worm casting or bat guano, are pre-amended into the medium of choice, and then are left to “cook-off”, releasing available elements to the plant as they are broken down by humic acids, microorganisms and fungi. This process, however natural, can often lack control and speed for gardeners who are focused on perpetual production. Furthermore, miscalculating the amending process is a common mistake and can devastate a crop.

Despite these worries, one product in today’s market, GreenPlanet Nutrients Medi One, settles the debate between synthetic and organic fertilizers. This one-part base nutrient offers the control and availability of a synthetic fertilizer with the added certification and sustainability of organic production. 

What is Medi-One?

Medi One is an OMRI-listed, one-part, organic base nutrient. This means that Medi One is a certified organic product that can be used as a foundation for plant growth and general health throughout a plant’s life cycle. As discussed above, organic supplements usually comprise single-sourced entities, like worm casting, kelp or bone meal. Medi One is formulated from multiple organic sources, including hydrolyzed, slow-steamed freshwater fish ingredients and naturally sourced potassium sulphate. Not only does this fertilizer supply your crop with the balanced NPK ratio of 4-3-3, but due to the steaming process of fish and kelp, which preserves naturally occurring amino acids, Medi One is an overflowing reservoir of essential micronutrients like copper, boron, manganese and zinc. 

Front Label Icons

Referring to our icons above. FRONT LABEL: Medi One is a Liquid  Base Nutrient used throughout the Vegetative and Flowering Stages of growth. BACK LABEL: This product is used within a coco-based medium, a continuous liquid feed program, and a soil/soilless medium. Medi One NPK Values are 4 – 3 – 3

Readily Available Elements

Because Medi One is a liquid fertilizer, this nutrient system’s aggressive growth and blooming powers are readily available for your plants to uptake. Similar to a synthetic fertilizing program, the nutrient-enriching qualities of Medi One will be available to your plants within hours of fertilizing. But even more exciting, because of all the hidden organic benefits this fertilizer offers, Medi One will continue to break down in the soil over time, continually enriching your plant’s root zone with crucial nutrients until their next irrigation. Upon flooding your medium with Medi One, vibrant sources of vitamins, amino acids, microorganisms, and fungi will begin to cultivate a living space in the root zone. In short, this microbe enrichment process will help speed along the ecological processes of nutrient uptake and delivery. 

Medi One enriches your root zone with readily available organic elements.

Award-Winning Nutrient Formula

Along with supreme genetics and careful growing conduct, Medi One was the nutrient system that helped cannabis educator John Berfelo win the Medical Cannabis Cup award in 2011 with his prized strain, Medi-Kush. In the article “The Story Behind My Award-Winning Medi Kush Strain,” Berfelo explains the process of strain hunting the sugar-coated, tri-coloured flowers once known to the market as “Christmas Kush.”

John Berfelo’s Medi Kush, grown with Medi One.

For John, this strain offered him extraordinary pain relief. So, it was only a matter of time before he could find seeds and begin cultivating this plant at home in a medicinal garden. Five years after popping the first of his seeds, Berfelo entered the organically grown “Medi Kush” into the private grower’s category of the Medical Cannabis Cup competition. He took home first prize in 2011 and later placed second in 2012. 

Use and Concentration 

Medi One is perhaps the easiest-to-use organic fertilizer on the market. Applying Medi One throughout the plant’s life cycle in indoor, outdoor, and greenhouse operations couldn’t be more straightforward in a liquid concentration form. Depending on the size and durability of your selected crop, mix Medi One in your desired quantity of water at a rate of 1-5 ml/L (4-19 ml/Gal) of water twice per week, making sure to shake the bottle before use and adjusting the pH to a range of 5.8 – 6.5 depending on your medium. For the best results, consult our Medi One feeding chart.

Click Here For The Medi One Feed Chart
Click to use our Nutrient Calculator

Settling the Debate

With the recent interest in organic supplements, GreenPlanet Nutrients Medi One is here to settle the contentious debate about the potential benefits of synthetic versus organic fertilizers. With all the control and availability of a synthetic fertilizer, Medi One is the only certified organic product on the market today that can deliver the quantity and quality you expect from an award-winning nutrient. And so, if you’ve ever thought of crossing into the world of organic farming, your chance is finally here with the help of Medi One.

Now is your chance to access Medi One’s rich and diverse compounds. For product information and purchasing inquiries, contact a member of the GreenPlanet sales team or your local garden supply store.

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The Difference Between Organic and Synthetic Gardening

As long as the tools for growing indoors have been available, the advantages of growing organically, or supplementing your garden with synthetic nutrients, have remained a hotly debated topic. While the practices of growing with either organic or synthetic supplements are theoretically different, the ultimate goal, in this case, the goal of producing a clean and heavy harvest, is identical. Whatever your preferences in the garden, the choice between growing with organics or synthetics typically causes growers to commit to a specific medium, one which complements the inert, or mineral-based style of fertilizer. Whether you’re growing organically in soil, or synthetically in peat, coco or rockwool, chances are, GreenPlanet Nutrients has the perfect feeding solution for your garden. 

So What’s the Difference?

The main difference between an organic and synthetic garden lies in the way that essential elements are introduced and broken down in the root-zone. In an organic garden, inert elements such as worm casting, oyster shell flour, kelp meal, and other raw materials are pre-amended into a soil or soilless mix and left to “cook-off” and break down into elements which can be readily absorbed by plants. In a synthetically fed garden, plants are placed into a porous medium like peat, coco, or rockwool, and then irrigated with water and chemical plant food. Unlike a traditional organic garden, a synthetic garden can be fed with measured inputs exactly to the gardener’s specifications. This does not mean, however, that feeding synthetically has a specific advantage over an organic garden, as natural ingredients, which contain wellsprings of microbes and living beneficial bacteria and fungi, arguably affect the inputs in positive ways we can’t yet understand.

  • Soil or Soilless.
  • Inert elements are pre- amended into the mix.
  • Allowed to “cook-off” into absorbable elements.
  • Porous Medium.
  • Irrigated with water and chemical plant food.
  • Fed with measured inputs exactly to specifications.

Choosing Your Medium 

One aspect of the garden that growing with either organic or mineral-based compounds will affect, is the medium in which your plants will grow. Most purely organic fertilizers, in short, will not be compatible with certain styles of growing. For example, GreenPlanet Nutrients Medi One is an extremely viscous and concentrated fertilizer, formulated with thick inert ingredients including fish hydrolysate, sea kelp, and specially sourced potassium sulphate; unfortunately, because of the viscosity of this nutrient system, it is not recommended to use Medi One in a hydroponic or water-based garden. So, keep in mind that the medium you’re working with will need to be able to support the living qualities of the organic fertilizer in your feeding arsenal. To find out which media will work best for your synthetic or organic garden, consult the passages below. 

Take a look at the back of a GreenPlanet Nutrients Product or click on the product page to ensure you can grow in your medium of choice.

Mediums Suitable for an Organic Garden:

Soil

The term “soil” is a broad term used to describe a mixture of organic compounds including earth, “top-soil”, and forest fines (a logging industry term for bark and the organics that fall off of logs during the sorting process). While most soils in the industry are amended with organic ingredients, like fish waste, this medium is a perfect candidate for the introduction of other liquid or powered organic nutrients.

Peat Moss

Peat moss is arguably the favourite choice of indoor and outdoor growers in the industry. Being that sphagnum peat moss has an extremely porous nature, meaning that it can absorb and expel water at an amazing rate, peat gardens are in some ways the most reliable for drain to waste systems. Peat moss naturally has a very acidic pH; so, once this medium has been buffer, or limed with pH adjusting compounds, it is a perfectly acceptable medium for an organic garden.

Coco Coir

Made from the discarded husks of the coconut fruit, coco is the halfway point between gardening in a “soil/soilless” medium, and a hydroponic system. Although coco occupies a somewhat contentious grey area on the spectrum of gardening methods, if fed properly, coco mediums will perform with excellent success in an organic garden. 

Mediums Suitable for a Synthetic Garden:

Rockwool  

Rockwool is a completely sterile medium made from the action of heating and spinning rock materials like slag or ceramic. Unlike peat moss, rockwool is naturally alkaline, and prior to transplanting into a rockwool medium, gardeners must buffer the pH of this medium to ensure the root-zone remains in an adequate range of acidity. Because of the propensity of rockwool to develop algae growth on the ridges of media which are exposed to light, organic fertilizers, which contain vibrant sources of bacteria, are not recommended for use. 

Water-Based Gardens 

There are countless ways to garden completely in water. Among the most popular in the industry are aeroponic gardens, ebb and flow systems, drip irrigation and deep water culture (DWC). Being that these systems use air and water to churn and circulate water throughout the reservoir, an organic supplement would likely become a mess of bubbling organisms and proteins within a few days, if not a few hours. To ensure your reservoir is sterile and free of any unwanted contaminants, a concentrated and highly soluble liquid nutrient, like GreenPlanet Nutrients Dual Fuel, would be a reliable choice of fertilizer in a water-based garden.

Choosing Your Fertilizer

Now that you know the difference between growing with organic and mineral-based compounds, and that this choice will influence the system in which your plants will grow, choosing a clean and well-rounded nutrient system is sure to be less of a debate, and more of a concise choice. Whether your garden is organic, synthetic, soil-based or hydroponic, GreenPlanet Nutrients has a variety of nutrient systems available to suit your needs. For a detailed list of nutrient programs currently offered by GreenPlanet Nutrients, see blow below. 

Want to learn more about Medi One? Read our blog titled Medi One: Now Officially OMRI Listed. For all other questions, contact a member of the GreenPlanet sales team, or your local garden supply store for product information and purchasing inquiries. 

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