Bone Meal - Powdered Vs. Liquid - Uses And Benefits?

[Fangthane]

So, over the past few months of lurking, I've seen at least one heavy poster seemingly making a point to shill a certain product - Nectar for the Gods Herculean Harvest - on several occasions. Now, that I've got a couple of plants in full flower, what would such a product do for me? Is it best used as part of a feed line or as a flush? Clearly, I know jack shit about it, but the numerous recommendations have made me curious.

If you guys use it, how exactly do you do so? Would there be any serious difference between the use/benefits of the two following specific products?

No matter what I do, full flower is typically when my plants start looking like hammered shit. Would either of these products have real-world benefits for someone who's not already doing everything in this mythical "right way?"

 

[JWM2]

It provides much needed phosphorus during veg and flowering. The powdered version is great for soil amendment. The liquid version can be mixed in with your nutes for an added boost.

 

[BudBogart]

I use the dry ground bone meal as they go into flower. I add more as a top dress every few weeks. It’s cheap. Works great. The dry bone meal is organic , not sure of the other, which doesn’t mean it’s not a great product.

 

[Fangthane]

The powdered version is great for soil mix amendment. The liquid version can be mixed in with your nutes for an added boost.

My thinking was: anything that's already powdered could theoretically be further pulverized and added to liquids for more immediate benefit. Would that not work for the powdered bone meal? I mean, if I could ultimately make them both useful in the same way, might as well save a few $$ where possible.

 

[JWM2]

I’d go with one or the other and just use it as its meant to be used. Top dress or mix it into your soil for the powder or mix in with your nutes with the liquid version. No need for both. Buy whichever works better for you.

 

[OldSmokie76]

Powder good for amending soil mix, liquid for feeding. Current flower go with the liquid for boost. Start at half potency.
I use both in the long run. Dry amendments to build the soil mix. I also top dress with a light mix of granulars during early flower. I signed up for the sample box from NFTG and have been using their product for solid two years. Their liquid nutes are nice to boost the soil. If you're considering liquid nutes look into their free samples. All you pay is shipping. Like $27. Full spectrum of nutes. Big bottles too.

 

[Fangthane]

If you're considering liquid nutes look into their free samples. All you pay is shipping. Like $27. Full spectrum of nutes. Big bottles too.

Thanks a lot for that info! Just filled out their questionnaire, so I guess I'll get a shipping quote within a week or so. Being a habitual broke-ass, I'm always a sucker for a bargain.

 

[3 balls]

This is one of those products I hear great stuff about and wonder if it's that one thing I'm missing to get a new record yield or over the top quality. But if I'm following the regimen of whatever nutrient line, haven't they already compensated for whatever macro/micro's it offers and wont I just end up with an excess buildup or toxicity?

 

[Fangthane]

Guess I'm kinda in the same boat, 3 balls, but my utter lack of experience probably makes me much more open to suggestion than most here. Were it a magic cure-all, everyone would probably be using it. But, at the same time, as you'd suggested, maybe something they offer could just be the right kick in the ass the plants need at a certain time. I'm way too new to all of this to really be set in my ways, so a free-ish sample that somehow managed to help me grow plants that aren't quite as ugly as mine tend to be would be a big step up in my little world.

 

[TimeLine]

a few draw backs are reality if outdoors

animals can and do dig this stuff up out of the ground

was doing a huge planting job at a homeowners years ago..after we planted everything we took lunch to come back and mulch..while we were gone the boss calls and says wtf

we go back every shrub we just mudded in was tore up...

a big yellow lab was quickly discovered to be the culprit as the mud was a giveaway

just wanted to say a nursery that has been in business for 35 years does not use it anymore as an amendment

they also don't use peat

lots of these question can all be answered at the local nursery....and probly will get you more useful info then the grow shop store...while both have insane markups...the people who have ran nurseries for years are a wealth of wisdom on reality

 

[Buzzer777]

I use NOTG Herc. Harvest with every watering/feed once in flower(soil grow). I have never seen a calcium def. since I began using it early last year. I have been looking for a cheaper replacement with no luck so far.

 

[MIMedGrower]

This is one of those products I hear great stuff about and wonder if it's that one thing I'm missing to get a new record yield or over the top quality. But if I'm following the regimen of whatever nutrient line, haven't they already compensated for whatever macro/micro's it offers and wont I just end up with an excess buildup or toxicity?

Of course. Its just a mineral. It is not a growth stimulant or regulator or anything. And if you inoculate with myco it inhibits its abilities to penetrate roots.

(Myco in fertilized containers is a whole other can of worms)



Here is a great page of debunked gardening myths from a phd plant scientist and washington university. 1st in the list is bone meal.

https://puyallup.wsu.edu/lcs/

 

[MIMedGrower]

a few draw backs are reality if outdoors

animals can and do dig this stuff up out of the ground

was doing a huge planting job at a homeowners years ago..after we planted everything we took lunch to come back and mulch..while we were gone the boss calls and says wtf

we go back every shrub we just mudded in was tore up...

a big yellow lab was quickly discovered to be the culprit as the mud was a giveaway

just wanted to say a nursery that has been in business for 35 years does not use it anymore as an amendment

they also don't use peat

lots of these question can all be answered at the local nursery....and probly will get you more useful info then the grow shop store...while both have insane markups...the people who have ran nurseries for years are a wealth of wisdom on reality

I agree with this very much.

I learned more from greenhouse guides and university agriculture websites than any cannabis grow info.

 

[SoLowDolo]

Just curious, can't you use the powdered form to make your own liquid bone meal if you wanted to?

 

[JWM2]

Just curious, can't you use the powdered form to make your own liquid bone meal if you wanted to?

You could but the powdered form takes a week or so to break down. Same goes with lime and bat guano. Which is why it was suggested to be used as a top dressing.

 

[3 balls]

Of course. Its just a mineral. It is not a growth stimulant or regulator or anything. And if you inoculate with myco it inhibits its abilities to penetrate roots.

(Myco in fertilized containers is a whole other can of worms)



Here is a great page of debunked gardening myths from a phd plant scientist and washington university. 1st in the list is bone meal.

https://puyallup.wsu.edu/lcs/

A+ link! Anyone interested enough to click on this thread should check it out!
Correct me if I'm wrong MIMed, it's happened before. Here is what I took away from it:
If I, growing in coco and using a common nutrient line, were to add bone meal to my routine; the overload of phosphorous (already compensated for in my nutes) would negate the value of the mycorrhizae products I spent $$$ on; Mykos, Great White, etc. and force the plant to spend unnecessary energy on root growth.

As I understood their reasoning for why bone meal popularity persists, is you end up with a fantastic root mass. But if you think about it, roots don't have to be insanely enormous to be healthy roots and an oz. of roots doesn't go for much.

Disclaimer: If you use Nectar of the gods nutrient line they may require it as part of the "plan", I don't know.

 

[Buzzer777]

A+ link! Anyone interested enough to click on this thread should check it out!
Correct me if I'm wrong MIMed, it's happened before. Here is what I took away from it:
If I, growing in coco and using a common nutrient line, were to add bone meal to my routine; the overload of phosphorous (already compensated for in my nutes) would negate the value of the mycorrhizae products I spent $$$ on; Mykos, Great White, etc. and force the plant to spend unnecessary energy on root growth.

As I understood their reasoning for why bone meal popularity persists, is you end up with a fantastic root mass. But if you think about it, roots don't have to be insanely enormous to be healthy roots and an oz. of roots doesn't go for much.

Disclaimer: If you use Nectar of the gods nutrient line they may require it as part of the "plan", I don't know.

That doesn't APPEAR to be the case here. I use HH + Megacrop (Cheap nutes) + URB (bennies) and the results are amazing..You can really tell if they miss their weekly dose. URB hit it on the head by saying that you could reduce nutrients by maybe 20+% if you added URB. Works here with no overload that I can see.
Downside as always..pricey stuff!

 

[3 balls]

That doesn't APPEAR to be the case here. I use HH + Megacrop (Cheap nutes) + URB (bennies) and the results are amazing..You can really tell if they miss their weekly dose. URB hit it on the head by saying that you could reduce nutrients by maybe 20+% if you added URB. Works here with no overload that I can see.
Downside as always..pricey stuff!

You wont catch me arguing against- if it aint broke don't fix it.:)

 

[MIMedGrower]

A+ link! Anyone interested enough to click on this thread should check it out!
Correct me if I'm wrong MIMed, it's happened before. Here is what I took away from it:
If I, growing in coco and using a common nutrient line, were to add bone meal to my routine; the overload of phosphorous (already compensated for in my nutes) would negate the value of the mycorrhizae products I spent $$$ on; Mykos, Great White, etc. and force the plant to spend unnecessary energy on root growth.

As I understood their reasoning for why bone meal popularity persists, is you end up with a fantastic root mass. But if you think about it, roots don't have to be insanely enormous to be healthy roots and an oz. of roots doesn't go for much.

Disclaimer: If you use Nectar of the gods nutrient line they may require it as part of the "plan", I don't know.

Maybe? So many variables. Adding stuff to potting soil mix doesn't automatically overload or imbalance the ratio. And if its available and in short supply it can help.


And plants dont waste energy on roots. You want the largest mass you can grow.

Just showing some myths to take into consideration.

Because what you said last about multi part nute systems can be true. Maybe they exclude calcium or phosphorous.


Myco is kind of unnessary in containers. You want the roots to search out nutrients and water and fill the pot.

A good dry cycle accomplishes that.

 

[Buzzer777]

Maybe? So many variables. Adding stuff to potting soil mix doesn't automatically overload or imbalance the ratio. And if its available and in short supply it can help.


And plants dont waste energy on roots. You want the largest mass you can grow.

Just showing some myths to take into consideration.

Because what you said last about multi part nute systems can be true. Maybe they exclude calcium or phosphorous.


Myco is kind of unnessary in containers. You want the roots to search out nutrients and water and fill the pot.

A good dry cycle accomplishes that.

Yes, that's all good, but Mycos also helps the plant uptake it's nutrients easily; apparently in a more palpable form?

Since In have been using URB + HH + a mix of FF soils..the roots completely fill the 3-5 gallon cloth pots quickly and are air pruned in the process, as it is meant to be. As @3 balls said..if it ain't broke..I am not about to try and fix it. Whatever is going on..the plants have really taken to it, so I will continue until I find a better formula. ie: I never thought I would eliminate Canna Nutes..Pricey and good! Megacrop has made me a believer..cheap and good. I figure the $$ I save on Megacrop is now spent on HH and URB..LOL
I did find a cheap replacement for Nectar's liquid kelp at Kelp4less.com.