MindSoup Posted October 1, 2023 Author Share Posted October 1, 2023 I dunno TBH mate, but it's a widely used commercial all purpose fertiliser so I'd imagine they'd have thought about that. I did start a thread about my water a while ago, it's absolutely fucked. Cal is 182.6 and mag is 10.6, apparently that's really bad . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MindSoup Posted October 1, 2023 Author Share Posted October 1, 2023 (edited) So looking into it a bit further, Osmocote do make a cal mag granule as well, but only recommend it for soft water. Edited October 1, 2023 by MindSoup 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amarillo slim Posted October 1, 2023 Share Posted October 1, 2023 TE stands for trace elements which includes calcium. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GSZZ Posted October 1, 2023 Share Posted October 1, 2023 2 hours ago, MindSoup said: I dunno TBH mate, but it's a widely used commercial all purpose fertiliser so I'd imagine they'd have thought about that. 53 minutes ago, Amarillo slim said: TE stands for trace elements which includes calcium. https://icl-sf.com/uk-en/products/ornamental_horticulture/8755-osmocote-pro-8-9m/ It hasn't got any calcium in it, and calcium is a macronutrient. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Villan Posted October 1, 2023 Share Posted October 1, 2023 I am a little intrigued to be honest, why would a company promote healthy growth etc and not add Calcium as we all know its a must have ingredient ? reading things like this makes me scratch my head and think..... they then sell something else to you too make up for the lack of it in the main structure of things, is it all to help us to part with out hard earned pennies ? 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amarillo slim Posted October 1, 2023 Share Posted October 1, 2023 Hmmm, very weird that! I always thought it was a ‘complete’ fertiliser, and assumed they had included it under the TE for whatever reason. But seems you’re right. I did some swamp tubes this year of coir and osmocote, I normally add calcified seaweed but didn’t have any on hand so went without. I did chuck some calcium nitrate in with the blocks, and later in the season gave them a foliar & top dress (both of which contained calcium). But in the time between, they only went a bit pale (I assumed was PH / moisture related). I’d have thought, if osmocote doesn’t contain any calcium then there would have been an obvious deficiency with pattern / spots on leaves? I don’t recall them having a CalMag product. Maybe they’ve taken out the the Ca so to boost sales of that. Taking a leaf from the canna industry book 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MindSoup Posted October 1, 2023 Author Share Posted October 1, 2023 Well wether it has calciumn in it or not the results and success of osmocote kind of speak for themselves (it's literally the most commonly used fertiliser for containers in industrial horticulture) and even if they've taken out the cal to make us pay for it separately it's still a damn site cheaper than any of the "cannabis specific" fertilisers. I can't remember who, but when that beanstalk stuff came out someone did a side by side with osmocote, can't remember them getting any sort of deficiency, calcium or otherwise. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MindSoup Posted October 1, 2023 Author Share Posted October 1, 2023 6 minutes ago, The Villan said: I am a little intrigued to be honest, why would a company promote healthy growth etc and not add Calcium as we all know its a must have ingredient ? reading things like this makes me scratch my head and think..... they then sell something else to you too make up for the lack of it in the main structure of things, is it all to help us to part with out hard earned pennies ? My guess is that for the most part there's enough calcium in tap water already, at least for the intended application which is of course outdoor/greenhouse growing. Is there a higher need for calcium growing under lights? Like I say this is a very well established international company with huge resources for r&d so I imagine if they say it's complete that it probably is... Not that I have any idea what I'm talking about . 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amarillo slim Posted October 1, 2023 Share Posted October 1, 2023 Just now, MindSoup said: enough calcium in tap water already, Don’t froglet, unless otherwise stated, peat based mixes have a shit tonne of lime added. Unless you’ve got soft water or growing under LEDs then you shouldn't need to add any extra calcium. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GSZZ Posted October 1, 2023 Share Posted October 1, 2023 (edited) 10 minutes ago, Amarillo slim said: I’d have thought, if osmocote doesn’t contain any calcium then there would have been an obvious deficiency with pattern / spots on leaves? I'd imagine all the extra amendments (esp the calcium nitrate) you added was probably enough to see them through? But from a glasshouse/protected crop producers point of view, I suppose if they're in a hard water area with that osmocote they would only need one or two stock tanks of acid and calcium nitrate instead of three, and from a labour point of view also its probably less work too, cleaning 1 tank instead of 3 per week in place of mixing some osmocote in the medium at pot up. e2a: thinking about it, its probably not got calcium in it the same reason part B of common nutrients don't have calcium nitrate in them - it doesn't mix in concentrated forms? Edited October 1, 2023 by GSZZ 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Villan Posted October 1, 2023 Share Posted October 1, 2023 3 minutes ago, MindSoup said: My guess is that for the most part there's enough calcium in tap water already Not according to my water report Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slippy One Posted October 1, 2023 Share Posted October 1, 2023 On 9/5/2023 at 5:57 PM, MindSoup said: Hello Chums I've been keeping bonsai mother's for about a year or 2 now and it's proven quite the commitment with plenty of challenges and frustration along the way. So I'm hoping for some input on how to make things a bit easier and less laborious. If your a successful Bonsai Mother keeper then I'd be very appreciative if you could summarise your methodology. Feed strength, environmental parameters, lighting etc etc etc. I regularly spend time away from home, which can make correct hand watering a real challenge, so ideas about automation would also be really useful to hear. I wonder if anyone uses Blumats or dripper lines? Those of you that know me will be aware that I'm an organic grower, but if it will make life easier I'm open to the idea of delving into salt based feeds etc. TIA For new tech with a set and forget, I'd recommend coco, beanstalk pellets and blumat tropf carrots. AC Infinity lights, fans and controller. Just let them go and don't need more than trimming and filling the res every so often. I'm at the stage with nice looking re-vegged mums in coco with beanstalk, just waiting 1 more week to install the blumat carrots which are being used outdoors. Can't think of a more trouble free system. Let me know if you'd like to see pics of mums in coco/beanstalk. They started a little dark green (over dose), but have now mostly stopped that 3 leaf flowering rubbish and back to traditional 5-7 leaves 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slippy One Posted October 1, 2023 Share Posted October 1, 2023 (edited) double post Edited October 1, 2023 by Slippy One Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amarillo slim Posted October 1, 2023 Share Posted October 1, 2023 16 minutes ago, GSZZ said: I'd imagine all the extra amendments (esp the calcium nitrate) you added was probably enough to see them through? I guess its either that, or it does have some calcium, and they just haven't listed it for some reason. Certainly I can't see there being much in the poundland coco blocks or the water source. 19 minutes ago, GSZZ said: e2a: thinking about it, its probably not got calcium in it the same reason part B of common nutrients don't have calcium nitrate in them - it doesn't mix in concentrated forms? I think the non mixing thing is only relevant to solutions, as there are plenty of dry complete salt fertilisers like chempak. They could also just mix in a % of separate balls which have the calcium in if it was an issue. I can only assume they haven't added it based of the fact most people are going to be using with amended peat. Ive sent them an email, see what they say. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amarillo slim Posted October 1, 2023 Share Posted October 1, 2023 20 minutes ago, Slippy One said: nice looking re-vegged mums in coco with beanstalk A nice looking re-vegged mum in coco with Osmocote and calcified seaweed (both @ 5 GPL), for a fraction of the cost. "But but but... Its only a few quid a month...." https://www.thedonkeysanctuary.org.uk/adopt?S=ADPWEBPPC&gad=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI84Ws6fDUgQMVQ-TtCh1QdwpyEAAYASAAEgJXUPD_BwE Look at those faces and tell me you'd rather give the money to an overpriced nutrient company 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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