Synthetic vs Organic ..Why do ppl go the synthetic route?

pahpah-cee said:

Say what you want. When given the option the majority of consumers will prefer organic unless if there is a price difference.

Click to expand...

i think there is a false mystique about organic being better or healthier and consumers fall for it.

my point is nothing more than organic sells better.

Could I taste a difference? I don’t know probably not. I fully understand the difference between the two and would even suggest synthetically grown to anyone sensitive to metal exposure.

Billy the Mountain said:

Studies on tomatoes have shown 20-30% faster growth grown hydrooponically vs. soil. No reason cannabis would be any different.

Salt-based nutes provide a consistent and controllable nutrient supply, unlike soil.

Click to expand...

There's also a significant difference in BRIX levels between the two. It's the reason store bought tomatoes taste like nothing, vs. how a tomato tasted 60 years ago, or right from your garden.

nygaff1 said:

There's also a significant difference in BRIX levels between the two. It's the reason store bought tomatoes taste like nothing, vs. how a tomato tasted 60 years ago, or right from your garden.

Click to expand...

It's my understanding the main reason store-bought tomatoes are so bland, is because they are picked far too early due to market/logistic demands.
They're packed into a refrigerated truck while still green, and exposed to ethylene to "ripen".
A farmers-market or backyard tomato tastes so much better, it's hard to believe they're the same fruit.

ProPheT 216 said:

Just less stress and work for me. I'm dwc running Jack's. Litteraly no prep work and no recovery work to keep my soil. Just mix and dump, mix and dump, all year long. Most I have 2 deal with is getting my hydroton washed and cleaning roots out the net pot.

Click to expand...

I've been turning them inside out knocking most the soil out then wash them in the Washer.

From my exp, when I used hydro ferts sure everything grew probably the same, but I dunno, when I switched to mixed soil with ewc and compost and the additional top dress every now and then, it was better, in what I saw between the two, I don't know how to describe it, but the organics seemed to push more smells and glue out of the plant...

Imo hydro ferts are much harder to deal with, endless bottles, mixing, making sure ph is good, always guess work on how much to actually feed cuz only the plant can tell you, like a baby you feed until he say no, when a plant say no you know you already went over board and delayed whatever you were trying to do in the first place... Sure you can flush but the damage has been done

Really if you find organics hard it baffles me..
I just mix ewc and compost in my peat/coco
And just give RO water, and top dress every now and then
Simple as that.

Edit - if I put 50% compost and ewc from the start I won't even have to top dress until the finish... But it makes a big slurry out of you soil mix so I tend to put 10-15% max.

snakedope said:

I just mix ewc and compost in my peat/coco

Click to expand...

i try to keep shit in my house confined to the toilet, not my coco grow. synthetic nutes have a great smell for indoors: nothing.

to each his own i guess

Organic users are like the cross-fit vegetarians... they have to let you know all about it.

I will say that over at build a soil on Youtube, that dude can grow some monsters out of that soil of his.

Some of the replies crack me up... it's like those infomercials. "Can you not open a cupboard door? Is it always hitting you in the face and killing your children... well we got the answer for you!!!!!!!!" Yeah dude, mixing a couple chems in some water isn't rocket science nor hard to do in any way, shape, or form.

To be honest I only top dress with ewc, compost only goes in the the pre mix soil,
Ewc smells like a pleasent rain forest, I like that smell,
I don't smell anything too major around the op and my house ain't that big, bugs are non existent if you have 2-3 yellow traps inside, I used to see them by the hundreds just laying on my soil and fly when I water, after the yellow traps they are all dead and no new ones to count...

Tomatoesonly said:

Organic users are like the cross-fit vegetarians... they have to let you know all about it.

I will say that over at build a soil on Youtube, that dude can grow some monsters out of that soil of his.

Some of the replies crack me up... it's like those infomercials. "Can you not open a cupboard door? Is it always hitting you in the face and killing your children... well we got the answer for you!!!!!!!!" Yeah dude, mixing a couple chems in some water isn't rocket science nor hard to do in any way, shape, or form.

Click to expand...

I never said it was rocket science, it's a straight forward thing with hydro ferts, but it's tedious,
I just give water, you sure you work easier then me ? I doubt it...

Billy the Mountain said:

It's my understanding the main reason store-bought tomatoes are so bland, is because they are picked far too early due to market/logistic demands.
They're packed into a refrigerated truck while still green, and exposed to ethylene to "ripen".
A farmers-market or backyard tomato tastes so much better, it's hard to believe they're the same fruit.

Click to expand...

The refrigeration part alone kills half the flavor. When my garden tomatoes are ready, I only eat them at room temperature. At the end of the day, any cut tomatoes go into the freezer for sauce and I will pick another the next day.
This year I'm running everthing on Jack's 3 part. Used the same seeds as last year and so far everthing has tasted just as good, beans, snow peas, zucchini, cukes and kale. The tomatoes should be ready in a week to test.

Commercial cultivars are also bred but for: uniformity/appearance, shelf-life, vigor, pest resistance, yield, and durability for shipping. Heirlooms are often finicky and particular plants that don’t translate well to industrial use. This is why I got into gardening in the first place. If you want something truly special, you often have to seek it out yourself and grow it.

Outdoors, I think organic is better for the planet. Probably a bit easier to grow too. At least if growing in the ground.
Better for the environment. Both in it's carbon footprint and it's use of carbon. Supports more life.
There's only so much elemental phosphorus left in the world too.
And, like a lot of Hydro growers, you're not necessarily tipping waste straight down the drain, growing organic indoors.

But for me, the ball stops there when growing indoors.
One could argue indoor organic has a larger carbon footprint than it's hydroponic counterpart, because of all the weight.
All those truckloads of heavy soils, earth and rich organic matter, getting carted around the globe, has to burn more carbon. Hydroponic media is much lighter in weight.
Also, some pretty bad practices environmentally, like Sea Bird Guano.

Makes no difference in taste, or quality of product in my own experience. And, hydroponics is more practical indoors.
Though truthfully, when outdoor organic goes right and you get a good harvest, it's a better kind of feel good, I reckon.
More satisfying placebo.
But like all placebos, it's probably just me.

Imho, organic gardening is about using the immediate environment you're in. And, making use mostly of what's around you, instead of getting it from somewhere else. It's about sustainability first and foremost.
Whilst Hydroponics is just mad fun.

Organic Outdoors / Hydroponics Indoors.
Way to roll.

If I had to choose and could, it'd be solely outdoor. But that's personal choice.

Honestly man i grow with synthetic's and organics for example my base fertilizer is synthetic but i also use some organic products like kelp and alfalfa extract etc I dont get the best yields but me and my bro have grown some killer buds indoors. with the right genetics me and my bro's end quality "SCREAMS" lmfao it feels so rewarding when the buds you grow are complete killer quality.

PopAndSonGrows said:

How would one even do organic DWC, is that even possible?

Click to expand...

Maybe if it's aquaponics, living fish feeding plants and cleaning roots for example.

Organic done properly is better. Don't care what anyone says. The synthetic users trying to say it's as good, are just saying it to justify it for themselves so they feel better.

Outdoor cannabis grown properly in perfect weather conditions is also better than indoor. Now get your panties in a knot.

I’m testing it myself. Have an icc that I’ve been growing in coco many runs about to go in a 5gal organic sip bucket. Lights and everything else the same so we’ll see

nygaff1 said:

There's also a significant difference in BRIX levels between the two. It's the reason store bought tomatoes taste like nothing, vs. how a tomato tasted 60 years ago, or right from your garden.

Click to expand...

I grow tomatoes on my balcony in coco coir and synthetic nutrients, they taste amazing compared to the grocery store tomatoes. It has nothing to do with organic vs. synthetic.

I have done multiple organic and synthetic grows indoors and out over the last ten years. I found that organic does taste better and has higher thiol content than synthetic, but synthetic I get better yield and am able to dial it in more. I now use a combination of both and found the best results. I use my own soil recipe and I use the foxfarm synthic line plus fish emulsion, and other teas. The plant has all the micros, some macros and then I add synthetics and push them to the limits. The only thing I dont like is when I use the smelly stuff in the teas or fish, it makes the grow room smell like a dirty diaper for a day or two. Keeping the room clean is important to me, Ive learned over the years a dirty grow room can cause alot of unwanted headaches. Nice thread, I love other peoples experiences and perspectives.

conor c said:

For example things like certain fish based stuff or crustaceans based would/could probably test high for heavy metals if we talking organics im not under any illusions everythings perfect id avoid stuff like that for that reason myself

Click to expand...

I read a study that heavy metal stress in cannabis will cause it to create more thiols and cannabinoids and terpenes in response. Could be one of the reasons why sometimes organic smells stronger and more potent cause of the heavy metal stress? Never though of that, Im going to look into that.

Cpappa27 said:

I read a study that heavy metal stress in cannabis will cause it to create more thiols and cannabinoids and terpenes in response. Could be one of the reasons why sometimes organic smells stronger and more potent cause of the heavy metal stress? Never though of that, Im going to look into that.

Click to expand...

Thats interesting i know they say having more sulfur in your soil in an available form is meant to increase thiol production too but i aint experimented with that all that much yet