Comments on: Grow Store 102 – Bloom Boosters and Stimulants

By: Revised

Revised — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 06:55:08 +0000

Are bloom boosters based on science or snake oil?

This question I believe is the most important one to be asking. I have come to the realization that the grow store business is mostly snake oil. Mostly…. Heck any big box store carries something similar for a fraction of the price most of the time and if they don’t have it, a major nursery usually does. Folks have been growing veggies and whatnot since the beginning of time and survived just fine on poop, fish, composted materials, and the charred remains of what they used to cook food with. I would love to see a grow comparison pitting the Big grow store products vs. the ones found at a nursery. Granted I realize that most of your advertisers would hate this comparison so I’m not holding my breath on this one. I also realize that the stuff at a grow store is tailor made for hydro but when it comes down to it is their really a difference? It also seems like anyone nowadays with an extra 50k can slap their label on a Chinese/generic or basic chemical fert product and claim it’s the newest big thing. Am I crazy or it really this simple?

By: Adam

Adam — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 06:17:45 +0000

You didn’t talk about one of the most expensive boosters out there: CANNA Boost. Whats in it and is it worth the $100+/L ?

By: brian

brian — Mon, 20 Dec 2010 21:15:03 +0000

Thanks for the reply. With growers awash in a sea of nute hype, it would be a great service to the community if we could see some actual results.

I would love to help but unfortunately, I have one large flood table that I flower everything in. The single rez dictates that all the plants drink the same tonic. I’ve tried different nute formulas on the same cuttings in different runs but unfortunately, there are soo many individual variables for each run its hard to point the finger at what did what. (its not super variable as my room is pretty dialed, but you know what I mean. shit happens )

Would love to see the grow results.

By: dan

dan — Mon, 20 Dec 2010 19:55:48 +0000

@Brian – With so many different growers out there we found the best way to approach a test that will add meaningfully to the collective wisdom pot was through our grow reports. We send samples of products out to a variety of different growers (as well as testing them ourselves) in a simple “with / without” scenario – all other factors being the same – to see what, if any, difference they make. The testers fill in the results and we publish them for all to see.

And it’s not sooo hard for people to get involved. They email their application to testers@urbangardenmagazine.com

By: brian

brian — Mon, 20 Dec 2010 10:47:40 +0000

would it be soo hard for someone to do some side by side tests of these products to find out what the REAL deal is on their cost benefit analysis?

7-8 paragraphs that list the NPK ratios of various boosters..This is educational?

Gee, thanks for all the wisdom

By: gomez

gomez — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 08:08:04 +0000

Great info, like many (amatuer/Semi-Pro) gardeners I feel bombarded and honestly overwhelmed everytime I buy nutrients and “Enhancers”. With the price of most all the flowering enhancers being high for my tax bracket, testing these products personally has not been possible. Any unbiased reviews are extremely helpful when trying to decide where my dollars should go. Thanks for the info.

By: Hydroguy

Hydroguy — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 17:58:03 +0000

It’s not an uncommon question if you sit behind the counter of a hydroponics retail store, and the benefit of any product must be weighed against the plant specie, growing system, what other fertilizers are used, etc.

This article provides a general overview of *some* of the types of boosters available, but there are numerous – and as most industries there is constant progress in the formulation of new boosters derived from different (and more complex) mineral and bio-chemical sources.

I don’t foresee an addendum to Grow Store 102, but you can be sure there will be more specific, as well as more technical, articles on various boosters in future from myself and other contributors.

By: greenfinger

greenfinger — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 12:09:03 +0000

With so many PK boosters,its hard to know if these PK products offer vaule for your money.? Due to ingnorance,by gardeners are these products REALLY worth there weight in fruit.! im not conviced that the yield would improve,by the reported 30%. however due to reports i am keen to experment (try) top shooster/shooting power from House and Garden.