BLOOM BOOSTERS
Written by Tom Forrest #TomForrestCF
@ TomForrestCF
THE MORE YOU KNOW - THE BETTER YOU GROW
The Good, the Bad & the Ugly – Hydroponic Bloom Boosters!
In every human endeavour we should always strive for excellence. We are constantly searching
for that extra ‘edge’; the hidden advantage over our competition. In the hydroponics industry
this is generally sold in the form of ‘Bloom Boosters’ or floral/generative growth enhancing
products. There’s an enormous range of products that fall into this category. Some are
scientifically proven to excel whilst others are nothing more than badly bottled snake oil. In this
article I outline the good, the bad and the downright ugly about achieving those ‘monster yields’.
Fertilisers promoted for increasing floral growth have historically been utilised in the ornamental
flower industry and in almost all varieties of fruit and vegetables. These products can generally
be classified into three different categories: PK based, organic bio-stimulants and synthetic PGRs
(Plant Growth Regulators). Purchasing these products can be a little confusing and problematic
for the consumer as many contain a mixture of several different types of growth enhancers, and
not all labels are necessarily 100% accurate or truthful, but more on that predicament later.
The biggest market in Australia for bloom boosters is for hobby hydroponics and small
commercial users. These magical bottles are predominantly PK based but in reality, the
Phosphorus and Potassium isn’t actually ‘boosting’ your bloom.
So why is there such a large demand for these products?
To understand this blossoming market we first need to investigate the physiological and
nutritional demands of the plant. We understand that flowers utilise different ratios and
quantities of inorganic ionic nutriment during the different stages of growth and according to
their environmental conditions.
In reality plants biologically require a complete balanced profile of macro and trace elements
throughout all growth stages. Inadequate or excessive quantities of any required macro or
microelement would negatively affect plant growth.
In technologically advanced commercial tomato production the NPK ratio is precisely adjusted
by analysis and monitoring of plant tissue. During generative growth the ratio reduces Nitrogen
and increases Potassium delivered to the plant. This fine- tuning occurs according to the
changing light levels and the different stages of plant development. Earlier in the season, the
plant is predominantly developing vegetatively and the increased nitrogen allows for the crop to
more efficiently utilise the high light conditions.
26
WWW.STEALTH-GARDEN.COM