Mary’s temporary 4 pepper garden

[MaryL]

I transplanted these 4 peppers from the jalapeño GAL. One is a Gypsy, one is Mike’s sweet pepper, one is a banana for outside, and I can’t remember the last one.  With this new garden basin, I transitioned to the 3 part General Hydroponics Flora system.  I think I started with 2-2-2 (adjustment to blooming phase), even though there are already teeny buds on the plants.  I’m not sure what to do with that.  

[Shawn]

You will have to tell us your experience with the 3-part Flora.

[Kate]

Well, they're looking great! Be sure to mix the Micro into your gallon first, then add the rest, so it doesn't cause lockout.

[MaryL]

Aug 2, 2018 7:13:07 GMT -5 Kate said:

Be sure to mix the Micro into your gallon first, then add the rest, so it doesn't cause lockout.

Uh oh. Say what?  Dang I probably messed up.  Which color is the micro?

[Kate]

The FloraMicro is a dark reddish-purple, and not clear like the other two. It kind of reminds me of iodine. Remember to shake, shake, shake before you measure out your teaspoons, too. If you add it after the others, including CALiMAGic, it can lock out everything and your feed is worthless. I add it to my gallon jug, cap it and shake, then add the rest, cap and shake again.

[MaryL]

Oh fer Pete’s sake. They didn’t say that on the bottle. I added the purple last.    

[Kate]

Aug 2, 2018 7:41:19 GMT -5 MaryL said:

Oh fer Pete’s sake. They didn’t say that on the bottle. I added the purple last.    

It actually does say to add it first. It's right above the feeding schedule graph, (green, purple, pink bars), in the paragraph where it says in bold to Shake Well Before Mixing.

[MaryL]

Oh. Hah!  I guess I was caught up with deciding which phase/dose to use.  Thanks for bringing this up.  Should I dump the water and start over?

[Kate]

I would. The chance that it's nutritionally worthless is too high. I think you'll love this stuff.

[MaryL]

I forgot to Rinse and Refill after my gaffe, but somehow I have flowers now.  Not that I know what to do next with the 3 part series, but I’m happy...

[Shawn]

They look happy.  Not knowing how to figure out the 3 part Flora Series is making me not try it.  If I had definitive amounts and mixtures and when to begin I might give it a go. 

[Kate]

It's actually all on the bottles.

[MaryL]

Aug 11, 2018 20:49:43 GMT -5 Kate said:

It's actually all on the bottles.

Kate’s right, once I looked again. It’s just that some of us (moi) can’t read, lol.

[Kate]

It's really simple to use. It takes me a minute or two to mix a gallon and I'm done. Just be sure you shake the FloraMicro into the water first, then add the rest. I've used the same values for even new starts and it's been fine. I recently started a new Dill in my Sprout with the Thyme and Chives. It germinated really fast with multiple shoots and is already about 4 inches tall.

[MaryL]

Yes, the order in which to add the 3 nutes to water was my first big mistake, but easily rectified. My next challenge is judging when to switch to the next phase/combination of nutes.  But I can get a little uptight and overly exacting about things.  Sometimes I just need to close my eyes and jump.

[drbanks]

More green stuff as long as you want it to keep growing; more red stuff if you want blossoms and fruit.

[Shawn]

Aug 12, 2018 18:29:56 GMT -5 drbanks said:

More green stuff as long as you want it to keep growing; more red stuff if you want blossoms and fruit.

But how do you know if you wnat more greens or more fruit?

[drbanks]

Green stuff until you think it's grown enough, then red stuff.

[MaryL]

Aug 12, 2018 18:29:56 GMT -5 drbanks said:

More green stuff as long as you want it to keep growing; more red stuff if you want blossoms and fruit.

But how long to do the transition phase?  One feeding, two?

[Shawn]

See that is my dilemma on getting it.  How to know when to change things up.  I have NOT pulled the trigger YET