Jump to content

Lucas Method In Soil

Mickeydee

By Mickeydee
in Dirt Growing

Recommended Posts

CaffeineForAll Advanced Member

CaffeineForAll

Posted
Posted

Can the lucas method of nutrient dosing be used in a soil garden? Can it be used with any brand of nutes? Thanks in advance for your answers.

 

The lucas formula can be used in a soil-less garden. Aka Pro-Mix/Sunshine Mix/Lightwarrior/Coco. Generally feedings should be alternated every watering, and leached once a week for best results.

 

You have to use a three part Grow Micro Bloom type nutrient. Advanced 3 Part, or GH Flora 3 part are what are typically used. However if the NPK values for the GMB are the same on another nutrient you find, that can be substituted. Grow should be a 2-1-6 Micro should be a 5-0-1, and Bloom should be a 0-5-4.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Hempcheff Advanced Member

Hempcheff

Posted
Posted

I use the 5/10 for veg (t5), and switch to 8/16 when i trip 12/12 (1k hps) in soil. I use same for bubblebuckets, havent had any issues yet.

 

and yes, thats 5 micro/10 bloom, from the general hydro line, i dont know any other nutrient system formulas but the website http://lucasformula.com/ is a good place to start

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Kilo810 Advanced Member

Kilo810

Posted
Posted

the lucas method doesn't even really apply to marijuana thogh guys, check out rollitup.org. Marijuana has a unique ratio for a flowering plant, and check out dyna gro's foliage pro, its the perfect ratio for marijuana cultivation believe it or not. Also if that isn't enough youtube has plenty of recorded proof.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Timmahh Advanced Member

Timmahh

Posted
Posted

im running FP,Bloom and Pro Tect. but was way underfeeding...

 

so ive made the adaptions needed, and this next round should be much nicer. 65ish days from Sunday we shall see.

 

though im probably going to use FP, PT, and MP and eliminate the bloom.

 

I think the DG line has all we need, just getting the proper amounts at the correct times, like any plant needs.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
CleanD Advanced Member

CleanD

Posted
Posted

Kilo... Any nute regiment is a ballpark for mj... And lucas-GH was developed w cannabis in mind... Just that every plant wants something unique unto itself... Many grow in a workable range, some req something specific. Any one part, or set mix dosage, is a ballpark... if u grow a bunch of different strains... U'l need several diff nute mixes to hit each cuts unique needs. It all depends on what the plants need, not some recommendation based on a single plant from a few decades ago. Each plant is unique, w its own special needs.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
donnachris Advanced Member

donnachris

Posted
Posted

I found this when I was looking for Lucas Method.

 

http://lucasformula.com/

 

 

Lucas Formula - A Hydro/Soil/Coco Feeding Strategy

 

Caveat: This page is WORK IN PROGRESS

 

Summary:

Lucas Formula, sometimes known as the Lucas Ratio, is less complicated than it initially seems. It is nothing more than a basic recipe of nutrients to give your plants during both the vegetative, and the flowering state.

 

The original recipe uses 2 parts of the General Hydroponics 3-part FLORA series (Gro, Micro, Bloom) nutrient system, but Lucas Formula may also be used with Advanced Nutrients, GH's dry nutes (Maxibloom), etc.

 

 

 

Lucas Formula using General Hydroponics 3-Part System

 

General Hydroponics makes a 3-part system named the FLORA series. It consists of FLORA GRO, FLORA MICRO, and FLORA BLOOM. These are 3 bottles you buy, that you would normally use together throughout the entire grow. You may use it as per the instructions on the bottle, with excellent results, but...

 

Lucas figured out that FLORA MICRO contains enough nitrogen, and everything else that MICRO GRO contains, that you use it with FLORA BLOOM alone, saving you from having to buy FLORA GRO.

 

How do you use it? Simple. Add 8ml of Flora Micro (dark red stuff) to 1 gallon of water*, mix, and then add 16ml of Flora Bloom (pink stuff) into the water, and mix. Done - unless you're growing in coco. If so, see below.'

 

 

Lucas Formula using General Hydroponics Dry Nutrients (Maxibloom)

 

MaxiBloom and MaxiGro are dry nutrient also from General Hydroponics. It turns out, Maxibloom, used in a ratio of 7 grams per gallon of water*, is very close to the original Lucas Formula (above.) You do not need MaxiGro, and so this is the cheapest and easiest recipe to use.

 

Add 7 grams of Maxibloom into 1 gallon of water*, and then adjust the pH, and stir vigorously to dissolve the Maxibloom in the water. I advise putting the 7g of Maxibloom into a cup of warm water, dissolving it, and then adding it to the remaining gallon of water, before pH adjusting and mixing again.

 

 

 

 

Lucas Formula using General Hydroponics FloraNova series

 

This is probably the easiest (but not cheapest - see MaxiBloom above) feeding plan available. If you're using General Hydroponics' FloraNova Bloom 1-part system, simply add 8ml of FloraNova per gallon of water* and feed.

 

 

Lucas Formula when growing in Coco Coir - Head's Formula

 

If you're growing in coco, you may need to adjust the Lucas formula slightly to compensate for a property of coco which may result in a calcium or magnesium deficiency. How? You may be able to get by simply by adding 1-2ml of calmag (or MagiCal+), or 1 gram of Epsom salt (any pharmacy carries this), per gallon of water, before feeding the plants.

 

There is a modified formula specifically for Coco that consists of using a different ratio: 6ml of Flora Micro, and 9ml of Flora Bloom, per gallon of water, along with 1 gram of Epsom salt per water.

 

Either works, but be sure to try Head's Formula if you're having deficiencies or other nute/pH problems.

 

Low light ratio, and flowering vs veg

 

Lucas Formula should be used in the same ratio throughout the grow. There is a misconception that one should use 5ml of Micro and 10ml of Bloom, when in veg, and switch to 8ml of Micro, and 16ml of Bloom, when flowering.

 

This was never stated by Lucas himself. He originally stated that the 0-5-10 ratio was for LOW LIGHT situations (fluorescent lighting like PL/L and CFLs, or HID lamps less than 400W), whereas 0-8-16 is for medium to high light (400W+)

 

* What type of water should I use? What about pH/ppm?

 

The original formula uses reverse osmosis, or RO, water, and is intended to be used without having to measure pH and ppm. Reverse Osmosis water makes this possible because it should, in theory, be the same for everyone. It is filtered water, which you can get either by buying a reverse osmosis filter system, or just buying bottled water (among other brands, Dasani, the bottled tap water is reverse osmosis, for example). One may also use dH2O (distilled water) with good results. You can get distilled water from most convenience stores (Walgreens, CSV, Rite-Aide, etc..)

 

 

Lucas Formula for seedlings/cuttings

 

For young plants (< 4 weeks old) or cuttings, which may not be able to handle a full strength feeding formula, may require that you dilute the nutrient solution before feeding. This is OK, just make sure you keep the correct ratio when mixing. For example, 50% strength would be 4ml Micro and 8ml Bloom, or 3.5g of dry Maxibloom per gallon.

 

Lucas Formula with tap water

 

You may use Lucas Formula with tap water successfully, but this may require pH adjusting on your part. Keep the pH close to 5.8.

 

 

Can I use additives with Lucas Formula?

 

You may. It is recommended that you do not introduce additives until your setup is dialed in. After you've ironed out any deficiencies and fully understand how your plant and strain likes to be fed, feel free to begin using additives (such as Floralicious) - not that the additives will help. For increased quality and yield, focus on good genetics, and ample light and temperature control, rather than trying to compensate for those with additives.

 

Interested in the details? See the following

•Cannastats Nutrient Profiles for Cannabis (Cannastats)

•Ask Lucas (CANNABIS-WORLD.ORG)

•Lucas in a nutshell (ICMAG.COM)

•Approximate Lucas w/ GH Dry Nutes (ICMAG.COM)

•H3ad goes coco (ICMAG.COM)

•Lucas Formula - Flora Series Feeding Strategy (ROLLITUP.ORG)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
donnachris Advanced Member

donnachris

Posted
Posted

I saw donna and chris and played the averages and assumed you were male. I'd say 90% or so are male, need more ladies growin! Keep up the good work.

 

Thanks!! Chris is my middle name...lol

 

There are a few of us here. Check out my grow log. I haven't posted any pics lately but there's a lot of info there.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
donnachris Advanced Member

donnachris

Posted
Posted

Lucas Method in soil rocks. I use GH Maxi-Bloom 1 tsp per gallon, start to finish with awesome results.

 

Here is a link to the most comprehensive information on the subject. Enjoy.

 

http://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=191645

 

Your link went to something called the K.I.S.S. method, I believe that is different from Lucas in that you only use one nutrient and not two.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Timmahh Advanced Member

Timmahh

Posted
Posted

alot of options, but in the end, its a whole picture type of thing imo.

 

 

just as a comparrison (nothing to do with lucas method) here are a few pics i took last summer

gallery_21883_705_674450.jpg

gallery_21883_705_400253.jpg

gallery_21883_705_71990.jpg

Nice big looking bud yes?

 

 

or is it

gallery_21883_705_127867.jpg

 

for a little more comparrison, here is the top to the same girl.

gallery_21883_705_249214.jpg

gallery_21883_705_701676.jpg

 

and the results dried

gallery_21883_705_498501.jpg

 

and the whole thing

gallery_21883_705_35380.jpg

 

 

that is my first ever grow/harvest. I now realized i was only feeding maybe 1/2 the nutes they probably should of been feed thru the entire grow.

i am using Dyna-Gro FP, Bloom, and Pro Tect on that grow. i am in real soil, and am basically doing a LM method with this round... just flipped last weekend.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing
×
×
  • Create New...