Miracle-gro as hydro solution
 

Question From: Mathieu Loiselle
I am planning on using a product, Miracle-gro, that has all the necessary nutrients except for calcium
and magnesium. I will add epsom salt and lime to substitute. My question is about the nitrogen in the solution. It has 15%
nitrogen, 8.2%ammoniacal nitrogen and 6.8% urea nitrogen. The oxygen is from ammonium phosphates. can someone please
tell me if this is good for tomatoes. I have heard that urea nitrogen is not good for tomatoes. Why?

To Mathieu Loiselle:
Mathieu, my recommendation would be to not use Miracle Grow for hydroponic applications. The reason is that it is basically
formulated for soil gardening. For example: MG has a fairly high content or Urea (6.8) which is useless in hydroponics because
Urea must be acted upon by soil-borne bacteria to be converted to a form usable to plants. Also, the ammoniacal Nitrogen is
high (8.2) which could cause very fast, leggy growth because it is absorbed very fast in hydroponics solutions. Like Urea, in
soil it is used by micro-organisms and broken down. Ammoniacal nitrates should be kept close to 0 percent in hydroponic
applications. Plants absorb Nitrogen in the nitrate form more slowly giving the plants a proper amount of vegetative growth
(light & other factors in specs.) and allowing blossom and fruit development.
There are many, proven hydroponic nutrient formulations available to the home gardener that have "the right stuff" for
hydroponic gardening applications.
Ron K. hygro@gte.net