@Stephen
Can you discuss what the ingredients to the nutrients are I am assuming they are synthetic nutrients instead of organic. I have several illness and the more research i do… I am starting to question growing synthetic vs organic…
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Hi @Jamminbear,
Hmmm an interesting topic you have there. Here is a mix of my thoughts, some internet ramblings and a couple links.
Plants need nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), and other nutrients for healthy growth. These are elements, and as such, there is no difference between the nitrogen (N) from an organic nutrient, or a synthetic nutrient. Elemental nitrogen is the same exact thing, regardless of the source.
The most important (and most interesting) of these is nitrogen (N). Unfortunately, plants can’t absorb pure elemental nitrogen (N) directly. There isn’t a way to feed plants a pile of single nitrogen (N) atoms. There is plenty of nitrogen gas (N2) in air, but plants can’t split the two nitrogen atoms apart, they are bound too tightly together, and so, nitrogen gas (N2) isn’t a good nitrogen source for plants.
What garden plants most often use to allow them to take up nitrogen (N) is a form known as nitrate (NO3), which is a nitrogen (N) atom connected with three oxygen (O) atoms. Nitrate (NO3) is easy for the plants to separate the nitrogen (N) from the oxygen (O), and therefore, makes for a good source of nitrogen (N) (woody plants like trees can also use ammonium (NH4)).
Plant material that has fallen to the ground, and animals leaving waste material behind are two sources of nitrogen (N) that are naturally occurring in untended wilderness. To emulate this, we get organic nutrients from naturally occurring materials with minimal processing.
In our system, we are utilizing deep water culture hydroponics, with a drain to waste nutrient program. This doesn’t allow enough beneficial microbes to form, hence most dwc growers don’t use organics. They will gunk up the roots and clog up our system, so an easy choice.
Here are a couple more links for reading…Royal Queen Seeds & Maximum Yield
On our support page…
Best,
Stephen
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