All hydroponicists know that their nutrient solution is the only source of food for their plants. So we put a lot of responsibility on nutrient companies when we trust them to provide all the nutrition our plants need! Some companies claim to offer everything our plants could possibly wish for in one bottle, whereas others try and convince you to buy three!
One thing’s for sure: a big decision that divides growers is their choice of base nutrients – the type, as well as the brand. We often receive emails from growers asking us if two-part nutrients are better than one-parts, for instance, or if a three-part nutrient is the gold standard. So we decided to hook up with Simon Spinks and Callie Fixter, biological scientists from British nutrient company VitaLink, to try and discover some homegrown truths and perhaps dispel some myths along the way …
Everest – Hi Callie, Simon – thanks for dropping into Urban Garden HQ! Now, I know you guys are probably keen to wax lyrical about how marvelous your nutrients are, but can we start by addressing a certain ‘prejudice’ that some growers have towards one-part nutrients? Can you, as people who know their nutes, tell me straight: are one-part nutrients designed for numpties?
Callie – (laughs) Numpties!?
Everest – Novice growers.
Callie – Oh no. Not at all.
Everest – Really?
Callie – No, but I can’t say I haven’t heard it before. And not just from growers either. A lot of retailers also believe this. In fact, we’ve heard of several retailers advising their customers that a two-part nutrient is preferable to a one-part. Then I guess that customer passes this advice on to their friend and so forth, leading to the reputation that a one-part nutrient does not deliver the goods like a two-part.
Everest – So what do you say to growers who claim that one-part nutrients are “weaker” in some way?
Callie – Well … admittedly there were some one-part nutrients available in the 1990s that didn’t deliver very good results – perhaps that’s why the two-parts took off like they did. It used to be very difficult to stop individual nutrients and elements within a one-part nutrient from reacting with each other in the bottle. This reaction is detrimental to plant growth because it effectively causes nutrient lock-out, meaning plants don’t get all of the nutrients and elements they need. Two-part nutrients separate the calcium from the phosphates and sulphates by putting them in different containers (i.e. A+B). This avoids the chemical reaction and prevents a precipitate or solid from forming at the bottom of the bottle.
A Menu for Healthy Plant Growth
Nutrients |
Amount Required
|
Main Plant Use
|
| Nitrogen | 70-250 | Vital for the formation of proteins and essential for the production of light capturing pigments (chlorophyll). |
| Phosphorus | 15-80 | Important in the conversion of starch to sugars – deficiency inhibits fruiting. |
| Potassium | 150-400 | Essential for transpiration. Plays a key role in resistance to plant disease. |
| Magnesium | 15-80 | Necessary for the formation of chlorophyll. |
| Calcium | 70-200 | Important in the formation of cell walls. Reduces the toxic effects of other minerals. |
| Sulphur | 20-200 | Building block for certain proteins. |
| TRACE ELEMENTS | ||
| Iron | 0.8-6 | Important in the formation of chlorophyll. |
| Copper | 0.05-0.3 | Helps catalyze certain biological processes. |
| Manganese | 0.5-2 | Important in the metabolism of carbohydrates. |
| Zinc | 0.1-0.5 | Helps catalyze certain biological processes. |
| Molybdenum | 0.05-0.15 | Important in the metabolism of Nitrogen. |
| Boron | 0.1-0.6 | Assists in plants’ use of calcium and important for carbohydrate metabolism. |
A Good Nutrient Provides:
- All of the nutrients and elements your plants require.
- Nutrients and elements in the right amounts.
- Nutrients that your plants can readily absorb.
Everest – So what’s changed since the 1990s?
Simon – A lot. Technology and nutrient manufacturing has moved on considerably. Today, one-part nutrients are made very differently than two and three-part nutrients. As a result, VitaLink, along with a number of other respectable nutrient manufacturers, offers, growers a one-part nutrient that takes the fuss out of mixing, whilst still offering great plant results.
Everest – Ok, but what exactly is different?
Simon – Well, that depends on who you talk to, Everest. There are a number of ways one-part nutrients can be made. One method that we use is called ‘Suspension Technology.’ A ‘suspension’ usually refers to a solid within a liquid. In the case of the VitaLink one-part nutrients ‘Easy’ and ‘Coir,’ the ‘suspension’ is a mixture of various minerals and a very important biological ingredient. The biological ingredient acts like a cage, absorbing a large proportion of the calcium to prevent it from reacting with the other nutrients. As well as preventing these nutrients from reacting with each other, this biological ingredient also helps your plants to absorb a maximum amount of nutrient, promoting fast, healthy growth. This way of making a one-part nutrient means that when the bottle is shaken (it’s vital to shake a one-part nutrient), you can add one blended dose of nutrients and elements in a form that your plants can easily absorb.
Most growers also don’t know that the way we formulate our one-part nutrients actually helps with the pH stability when they start feeding it to their plants. This is because the biological ingredient present actually helps to buffer the pH. This buffering effect prevents the pH of the nutrient from changing too rapidly. This means that the maintenance of your nutrient tank is a lot easier because the need for pH Up and Down is reduced.
Everest – Fair enough. So you’ve developed some biological “jizz” to keep everything fine and dandy. But isn’t it just better to go for a two or a three-part nutrient if you know what you’re doing?
Callie – No, not necessarily. It’s a common misconception: ‘more parts equals more yield.’ But I don’t think this is true. A three-part nutrient definitely offers you more control over what you are feeding your plants. It allows you to ‘tweak’ the NPK ratio throughout the growth cycle, enabling you to respond to any signals that your plants are giving. Three-part nutrient manufacturers provide usage directions, which I would recommend following. But the added complexity from the feed schedule of a three-part nutrient also makes it easier to make a mistake, so use with care.
Everest – But aren’t we back to where we began? Three-part nutrients are more complex to use … meaning one-part nutrients are simpler, i.e. they are designed for beginners!
Callie – No, one-part nutes are designed for growers who want to make life easier for themselves!
Everest – Yeah but no but yeah but no but WHICH IS THE BEST? One or two-part?
Simon – Look Everest … without meaning to sound like we’re sitting on the fence, it basically comes down to choice, which is why we developed both one and two-part nutrients. We knew there was a market for both, so we made both. Our newer one-part nutrients are increasingly popular with novice growers, but are also great for any grower looking for low-maintenance growing. At the same time, our two-part nutrient, VitaLink ‘Max,’ has enjoyed great popularity in the UK and throughout Europe too.
Everest – Okay, I’m hearing you. Thanks for coming in to say hello. How about we do a side-by-side trial of your one and two-part nutrients one of these days?
Simon – Sounds good to me!
Nutrient Types: Advantages, Disadvantages and Tips
One-part
Ideal for new growers or those looking for the simplest growing. Easy to use, low-maintenance. The bottle needs to be shaken to ensure a complete dose of all nutrients. Shake the bottle and simply pour until you reach your target nutrient strength/conductivity.
Two-part
A great choice for all abilities. Many growers using a one-part nutrient go onto a two-part nutrient for experimentation. Extremely popular, gives more control over the mixing process than a one-part nutrient. More risk of mixing errors than with a one-part nutrient. Always adjust the pH after you add your nutrients.
Three-part
Maximum control over mixing process. Mixing errors are more likely. Always follow the feed schedule supplied with the nutrients.
What’s your opinion on one part vs. two part vs. three part nutrients? Tell us where your allegiance lies!
For more information on VitaLink, please contact the following distributors:
Hydrogarden www.hydrogarden.com
Nutriculture www.nutriculture.com
Maxigrow www.maxigrow.com
Oh Good, I’m inspired. I often wondered about the one two part etc. I usually use “Formulex” to kick off with, for clones and young plants in particular, but have been advised on numerous occasions to change to 2 part asap once the plants are beginning to flourish, as the 2 part solutions will provide all the necessary nutrients. and 1 part solutions lack “certain” elements. Formulex however is often cited as a complete, and fully balanced solution best for soils, but in particular, ideal for young plants and clones. Well, that may well be so, I expect one could grow right through the flower phase, with the right EC and maybe some additives along the line, to compensate, or enhance. But perhaps the yield might not be as good, although that is often difficult to pin down as there are so many factors that can affect yields in the first place from species, through strain, environment, type of system etc etc. But I can understand Callie’s point made that dismisses the myth that 1 part is only used by novices.Technology does make things easier, well, sometimes, unless you need to follow translated instructions on how to set up the latest gizmo on the market. But definitely seasoned growers as well as novices will use single part, and many in between, if they understand the facts of the contents that is, and wish to manage their time more efficiently, and at the same time probably avoid some of the pitfalls when solutions are mixed. I liken it to the auto box on my car, in the UK a lot of cars use a manual gearbox, and yes, it can give the driver more control, but for me, give me an auto box anytime, point and squirt. Brilliant in slow moving traffic. Modern technology allows a very efficient transmission these days with computer chips lurking in every crevice, that was not around 10 years ago.
Up until now I have generally used a 2 part Canna Aqua flores, pretty good, but it adds up in costs of course, with 2 bottles, A and B each time. There are a lot of companies touting them of course, each claiming the best results, or at least presenting the product in such a way that suggests they are better performers. I think many growers just find something that works for them, and sticks to that, it saves the need to start comparisons all over again. “If it works don’t fix it” mentality, but then again, why not embrace change, and improvement if it is available. That to me seems the more logical approach.
So yes,I think I will go ahead and try out some of the Vitalink 1 part, I am curious, and probably a bit lazy! and I’ll see how things work out.
JonO. Scotland