We are very excited to announce three new members to Fox Farm’s family of plant nutrients:

Fox Farm has released the new Bush Doctor Series to their nutrient line-up and it is sure to please their loyal brand followers.  Quality ingredients for connoisseurs of quality cultivation. These tasty blends complement the existing Fox Farm nutrients throughout the plant growing cycle. Another treat is the sweet new label artwork by the  famed Emerald Triangle native, Duane Flatmo.

Nice work Duane, as always.

The Bush Doctor Series is made up of three specially designed formulas that focus on root growth, microbial habitat in the root zone, and removal of excess fertilizer build up. Bush Doctor adds to Fox Farm’s already high-standing with the organic, hydro and soil-based growing communities. Let’s take a quick look at the three new products and get quickly introduced:

Kangaroots: A liquid root growth inoculant designed to encourage root mass development. Bush Doctor Kangaroots is a root drench formulation for use on in-ground plantings, container gardens and hydroponic systems. Use Bush Doctor Kangaroots on seedlings and mature plants throughout the growing season to enhance the proliferation of root mass development. Beneficial for fruits, flowers, vegetables, trees, and shrubs.

Microbe Brew: A specially formulated microbial catalyst made from a complex blend of ingredients that helps plants achieve optimum microbial habitats at the rhizosphere or Root Zone environments. Feed your plants and your microbes at the same time. The earthworm castings and kelp create a tasty brew that will satisfy your plants’ thirst by giving them the nutritional cocktail they deserve.

Sledgehammer: This unique rinse is specially formulated to remove excess fertilizer build up. Sledgehammer encourages water movement through soil and soiless mediums. High fertilizer use can compromise plant growth over time due to concentrated mineral salt deposits. Some say this is the easiest clearing solution you’ll ever use since there is no pretreatment and no need to stop feeding.

With these great new additions to the Fox Farm tribe, growers now have more options to stay within their favorite brand for the products they would normally need to find in other brands. There is not much feedback yet from the grower community in terms of performance of these products, but the few accounts we’ve heard are good and we are confident that the results will live up to the standards set by the brand.

Try it out for yourself and let us know what you think of the new Bush Doctor Series, Click Here to shop the entire Fox Farm family, or click on the images above for just the items described.

Raise your pints of Microbe Brew with me as I wish those Bush Doctors a hefty “Cheers!”

-H.Rex

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July 16, 2009

Plant roots provide the crops we eat with water, nutrients and anchorage. Understanding how roots grow and how hormones control that growth is crucial to improving crop yields, which will be necessary to address food security and produce better biofuels.

Now an international group of scientists has shed light on how a plant hormone is crucial in controlling the growth of plant roots. Plant growth is driven by an increase in two factors: the number of cells, and their size.

Scientists already know that the plant hormone gibberellin controls how root cells elongate as the root grows in the model plant. Now a paper appearing in Current Biology describes for first time how this hormone also regulates the number of cells in the root in order to control root growth.

Gibberellin normally acts by signaling the removal of proteins which repress growth, and so promotes root cell production. This  research shows that mutant plants that do not produce the hormone are unable to increase their cell production rate and the size of the root meristem, the zone of cell proliferation.

Plants in which the cells in the meristem were made to express a mutant version of the growth-repressing protein GAI not degraded by gibberellin showed disrupted cell proliferation. Expressing this mutant form, gai, in only one tissue, the endodermis (the innermost layer of the root cortex of a plant), was sufficient to stop the meristem enlarging. In effect, the rate of expansion of dividing endodermal cells dictates the equivalent rate in other tissues.

This research was headed by Dr Susana Ubeda-Tomás and Professor Malcolm Bennett of the Centre for Plant Integrative Biology, in collaboration with scientists in Nottingham, Cambridge, Edinburgh, Spain, Belgium and Sweden.

Professor Malcolm Bennett, Biology Director for the Centre for Plant Integrative Biology and Professor of Plant Sciences in the Division of Plant and Crop Sciences, said: “We have shown that gibberellin plays a crucial role in controlling the size of the root meristem, and that it is the endodermis which sets the pace for expansion rates in the other tissues.

“Understanding precisely how hormones regulate plant growth is one of the key areas of fundamental plant biology which will underpin crop improvements in the future.”

Adapted from materials provided by University of Nottingham.

University of Nottingham (2009, July 16). Hormone Clue To Root Growth.

As scientists understand how the root system builds, I’m sure we’ll see products come to market that will add these hormones to nutrient solutions.

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• Final Bloom – Stimulates a massive final bloom of flowers, to increase yield and to improve flower quality and scent.
• Foliar Bloom A & B – The plant health regulators in Foliar Bloom elicit the plant’s ability to defend itself against pathogens.
• Agricultural Organics Ooze Bloom – Stimulates metabolites which aid in the synthesis of terpenoids and polyphenolic compounds.
• Phat Bloom – The big gun for using during the most rapid period of plant growth and development.
• Pre Bloom – Stimulates massive branching and triggers a stage of development called pre flowering.
• Agricultural Organics Roots Bloom – Produces outstanding root growth on cuttings and eliminates transplant shock when planting out.
• SeaFuel Bloom – This heavy hitter works to nourish your plants and conditions your growing media.
• SeaWeed Bloom – Helps provide high quality raw materials in a sustainable fashion to the plant.
• Ultra Bloom – Uses organic plant signaling compounds and nucleic acids to trigger flower development fast.

This weekend only get this amazing hydroponic nutrient for 10% off our already low prices.  use coupon code: 10YELLOW and save on Agricultural Organics.

We cannot apply price adjustments to previously purchased merchandise and we cannot apply coupon codes or discounts after the order has been placed. Only one coupon can be used per purchase.  Coupons are valid on igrowhydro.com only. Thank you for your understanding.

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Every 4 liters of Voodoo Juice contains 200 billion microbes. Nutrients are converted to forms that become bio-available to the plants while also stimulating explosive root growth. Plants are better able to acquire vital nutrients and moisture. In testing, root mass has been found to increase over control plants as much as 90%.

Top three advantages of Voodoo Juice:

1. This is a stand alone product and there are no comparable products on the market.
2. Voodoo Juice has a very stable shelf life and is completely organic.
3. 5 different strains make up the 200 billion microbes found in each 4 liter bottle.

Voodoo Juice Usage Tips:

1. Use Carbo Load in conjunction with this product to enhance Voodoo Juice microbe production. We recommend this because Carbo Load provides a great food source for the beneficial bacteria.
2. Do not use biological products such as Voodoo Juice in conjunction with Hy-Ox as it will kill the beneficial organisms rendering them ineffective.

Voodoo Juice – Frequently Asked Questions

Sometimes the voodoo juice smells like ammonia. Is this a problem?
NO… The smell of ammonia in a bottle of Voodoo Juice is not a sign that the product has gone bad… Voodoo Juice contains beneficial bacteria that will reproduce under ideal environment conditions, a by product of this biological action is ammonia it is not harmful to your plants …to prevent this from happening store at a cooler temperature after opening… avoid excessive light, temperature and humidity levels when storing Advanced Nutrients products.

Can I use Hy-Ox with beneficial cultures like Voodoo juice, Piranha, Tarantula, Sensizym?
Absolutely Not… Hy-Ox will damage or kill the beneficial cultures (Piranha, Tarantula, Voodoo Juice) and may seriously affect the effectiveness of Sensizym.

What is the difference between Voodoo Juice and Tarantula?
Both are concentrates of Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria or “PGPR”; these are “Super Symbiotic” strains of bacteria found in healthy soil, amongst thousands of strains of “regular” symbiotic bacteria. Voodoo is a liquid suspension of 5 select PGPR While Tarantula is a Powder concentrate of spores of many different beneficial bacterial strains. Note: Piranha is a powder concentrate of beneficial fungal spores. Both products are to be diluted as directed, and can be applied to the roots or as foliar spray.

Can I use Voodoo on my outdoor crop and if so, what is the application rate?
Yes, you can use Voodoo on your outdoor crop. Follow the instructions on the bottle for application rates.

Here is a handy chart for usage directions:

• Hydroponics:
  Mix at the rate of 30 ml (1 oz) per 4 Liters (1 gal) of water to nutrient solution. Apply every 3 weeks.
• Soil and Sphagnum Moss:
  Mix at the rate of 30 ml (1 oz) per 4 Liters (1 gal) of water to nutrient solution. Apply every 3 weeks.
• Seeds and Transplants:
  Mix at the rate of 30 ml (1 oz) per Liters (3 quarts) of water to nutrient solution. Apply every 3 weeks.
• Shake well before using.

We also provided a useful Advanced Nutrients nutrient calculator to help configure your nutrient solution.

For more information, check out our recent article on beneficial micorbes.

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