18. PLANT FOOD AND NUTRIENTS

In Holland it is easy to buy in one of the many grow-shops a special food for special plants or circumstances. For inside, outside, rock wool, cocos, sativa like plants and indica like plants. But good results are also possible with simple horse or cow dung, when growing on earth. Or a simple plant food that can be bought in any flower shop. Just start with a simple sack of fertilized soil and after, let’s say, four weeks add a little cow dung or simple plant food from a flower shop. I have seen great results with this simple method.

Plant foods have 3 main ingredients that will be the mainstay of the garden, Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium. These 3 ingredients are usually listed on the front label of the plant food in the order of N-P-K. A 20-20-20 plant food has a Nitrogen level of 20%. Secondary nutrients are Calcium, Sulphur and Magnesium. In trace quantities, boron, copper, molybenum, zink, iron, and manganese. Depending on stage of growth, different nutrients are needed at different times. For rooting and germination, levels of high P nutrients with less N/K are needed, while vegetative growth needs lots of N. Blooming on the other hand is done best with high values of P and K.