After reading another member writing about the ingredients list on a weed container. I peeled back the label on a weed container that I picked up in Denver 5 years ago. And this is what I saw, and is hard to believe this info has literally been under my fingertips all this time. The problem is not being a chemist it is petty damn hard for me to understand.
Couple questions
1 What is the easiest way to duplicate this recipe? Jack’s seems to match up fairly well to my untrained eye.
2 What is the wetting agents it speaks of?
Seems like a laundry list of anything that ever touched the plant and has little relevance to what should be used in a grow. Nitrates are chemicals that are used to preserve the freshness and color of a plant product. These nitrates are added to the plant material after harvest and have nothing to do with the growing process. Wetting agents are used during the flushing process and have no affect on the end product given that it is nothing more than an attempt during the grow to maintain pH and/or PPM. Wetting agents are used in soil grows where flushing out salts may become necessary. It is not relevant for hydro/DWC/RDWC grows. I’m not sure why they would use a wetting agent in a coco grow. Maybe a coco grower can chime in.
It just doesn’t make sense to try to replicate the contents. Every grow should be managed individually and Jack’s is a fine product and supplements and additions are not necessary to grow quality smoke.
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Oh, I have no intention of trying to mix this together myself. Even if I had had all of the ingredients. I would have no idea of how much of each to use. I guess I am asking for opinions on if there is other products out there that is as dialed in as Jack’s.
In 1983 I ordered a hydro kit from a place in Calf. called the Light Machine. It was an eight bucket drip system with a 1000 watt MH. This came with a gallon of dry food called Dr. Chadler’s, (I maybe missing the spelling). This stuff was great from start to finish. This system with this food grew some monsters with huge colas. I will admit that back then we were on great well water @ 6.4ph. When I dropped and broke the bulb, and called them to order a new one. They went on and on about that plat food. I think the good doctor has gone out of business since then, or at least I have not found anything on the internet.
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Some wetting agents are used to improve flow and decrease size (don’t ask me how) to improve intake by plants. Often added to foliar sprays. Yucca is a plant based example. I use RAW Yucca from NPK Industries. Very small amounts 1/16 to 1/8 tsp per 5 gallons. I even add to my coco medium. Wetting agents are also added to peat based mediums. The surface of peat tends to dry out and I’m sure you’ve noticed how the first bit a water runs off the top down the side of the pot. check out the label on a bag of Pro-Mix. Wetting agents reduces this tendency.
FWIW
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OK thanks
I looked at my grow shop’s website and they have a section for wetting agents. It turns out that I am already using Roots Extreme Serene in my soil schedule, and it is kelp based.
So, if I understand this correctly. The yucca, or the kelp, or the polymers all help the plant ability to absorb water. They do this by reducing surface tension and other means?
I also add a tiny bit of Yucca to my water when I’m using new soil to help it get thoroughly wet all the way through.
I did an experiment I saw in High Times a few years ago. I took 2 of the same paper towel sheets on the kitchen counter. I squirted a half a ML of plain tap water on one paper towel and it made about a 2 inch wet spot. I did the same amount on the other paper towel, but with a tiny bit of Yucca in the water. The entire paper towel got wet almost immediately.
Yucca actually makes water more wet, lol.
Thanks. I wasn’t aware that it is used in that manner. I shy away from the stuff except when I used Sledgehammer when I was using the FF Trio. I haven’t had to flush since I started using Jacks. It is also used by car washes and is in shower spray. Borax (laundry stuff) is also a wetting agent.
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A grower that I have a lot of respect for but left this forum had me look into yucca.
I hear Dawn is really good too.
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Its actually a great wetting agent. Only need a couple drops
Good point. I may do a few drops per gallon of Dawn the next time I need to flush. It would be far less expensive than buying Sledgehammer to get the job done.
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I know my dad ran our dishwater straight onto his garden when i grew up for years (Like 10 or more). There was no effect on the plants. Dawn is 90% biodegradable so a few drops will have little to no residue.
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