Three bottles or one, mix them in order, then check the meter.

How we stock it at Green Zone

General Hydroponics sits in two bays of the nutrient wall. The Flora trio, FloraNova Grow and Bloom, CALiMAGic, Armor Si, FloraBlend, Floralicious Plus, Diamond Nectar and Liquid KoolBloom are in bay 2. More FloraMicro, FloraNova and Floralicious sit in bay 3, with FloraShield, Ripen and Diamond Black. RapidStart is in the propagation bay. pH Up, pH Down, the pH control kit and a 4.01 reference solution are on the pH and water shelf. GH's pest bottles are on the pest shelf. We also carry MaxiGro.

We stock GH because one base feed covers most of the ways people grow here. GH runs the Flora Series in hydro, coco, soil and soilless mixes. Most questions at that wall are about how many bottles. Three parts or one? Which supplements on day one? Our job is to start you on the base, point you to GH's chart, and keep the supplements for when the plant asks.

The lineup

FloraMicro

GH calls it the foundation of the Flora Series: nitrogen, calcium and chelated micronutrients. It goes into the water before the other two.

Where it fits: Every stage, with Gro and Bloom

FloraGro

The vegetative part of the trio. GH says it helps build roots, stems and leaves, and it is not meant to run alone.

Where it fits: Seedling and cutting through veg, tapering in bloom

FloraBloom

The bloom part: phosphorus, potassium, magnesium and sulfur for flowering and fruiting.

Where it fits: Rises through flower

FloraNova Grow

A one-part liquid base for vegetative growth. GH says to shake it well and calls it very concentrated.

Where it fits: Seedling and cutting through veg

FloraNova Bloom

The one-part base for flowering and fruiting; GH says to switch to it at the first sign of flowers.

Where it fits: First flowers through harvest

CALiMAGic

A calcium and magnesium supplement. GH points it at RO water, soft water and coco, and says it does not replace the base feed.

Where it fits: Any stage where calcium and magnesium demand runs high

Armor Si

A silicon supplement for plant structure. GH says it goes into the water first, before the base.

Where it fits: Seedling through flower

Diamond Nectar

A humic-based supplement meant to keep the nutrients you already feed available at the roots.

Where it fits: Veg through flower

Floralicious Plus

A concentrated additive made from plant-based and mineral ingredients, including vitamin B1, used on top of a base feed.

Where it fits: Veg through bloom; GH says to stop during ripening

FloraBlend

GH calls it a compost-tea style supplement, used alongside a base feed.

Where it fits: Germination through ripening

Liquid KoolBloom

A phosphorus and potassium bloom supplement, layered on top of a base feed.

Where it fits: Early bloom through late bloom

RapidStart

A rooting supplement for seedlings, cuttings and young transplants, used alongside base nutrients.

Where it fits: Propagation through early veg

pH Up, pH Down and the pH Control Kit

The kit pairs pH Up and pH Down with a drop indicator and a test vial.

Where it fits: Every mix, after the nutrients go in

How it fits your grow, in 3 steps

Step 1. Pick three parts or one.

GH calls the Flora Series the original three-part liquid system, and runs it as a 3-part, 6-part or 10-part program. FloraNova does the same job with one bottle per stage: Grow for veg, Bloom for flower. Fewest bottles: start with FloraNova. Want to steer the veg and bloom balance yourself? The trio lets you. GH shifts the mix from FloraGro toward FloraBloom as flowering goes on.

Step 2. Mix in order, then measure.

Start with fresh water. Armor Si goes in first if you use it. Then FloraMicro, stir, then FloraGro and FloraBloom, stirring between each. Supplements go in after the base, and pH comes last. Follow GH's feedchart for amounts, and don't start on the strongest schedule; GH's own guide warns against it. Then check it with a meter. Our house lanes for a bottled mineral feed are about 0.4 to 0.8 EC for seedlings , 0.8 to 1.4 in veg and 1.2 to 1.8 in flower. If the chart and our lane disagree, start at the lower number. Keep input pH around 5.8 to 6.2 in coco or hydro , or 6.2 to 6.8 in a bottle-fed soil or peat mix.

Step 3. Add one supplement at a time.

The base comes first. CALiMAGic earns its spot early if you run RO water, soft water or coco. KoolBloom waits for bloom. RapidStart is for the first roots, and GH says to taper it once a dense root mass shows. Move the feed up or down about 0.2 EC at a time. Then give new growth about 7 to 10 days to answer. Read runoff as a trend over 2 to 3 waterings, not one cup. Move one knob.

Who it's for, and who it's not for

A good fit if

• You grow in hydro, coco, a soilless mix or potting soil and want one base feed that works across them.

• You like a printed chart and a meter, and want to choose how many bottles to run.

Not the right fit if

• You want a living soil you build once and keep up with top dress and plain water. That's the BuildASoil system.

• You want a bagged soil with food already in it. Look at Roots Organics or Coast of Maine.

• You want a two-line program, liquids or powders, with its own pH buffer and line cleaner. See Athena.

• You want the soil and the bottles from one brand. FoxFarm makes both; see our FoxFarm page.

Common mistakes we help people avoid

Pouring one concentrate into another. GH says never to mix undiluted concentrates. FloraMicro goes into fresh water first.

Running the strongest chart on day one. GH's feed chart guide warns against it. Start in our lane for the stage and step up about 0.2 EC when new growth asks.

Buying every supplement at once. GH's 3-part program is the three base bottles and nothing else. Add the rest one at a time.

Running FloraBloom alone in flower. It carries no nitrogen and isn't a standalone bloom feed. Keep FloraMicro in the mix.

Calling a flush off one high runoff reading. Runoff a little above input is normal. One reading never triggers a flush; the gap has to climb across waterings and the plant has to show stress.

Frequently asked questions

Flora Series or FloraNova: which one should I buy?

FloraNova is one bottle per stage, and GH says it helps first-time growers feed with confidence. The Flora trio takes three bottles and lets you move the balance between veg and bloom. Tell us your pot count and how you water, and we'll walk you through the wall.

Do I need CALiMAGic, Armor Si and the rest right away?

Not always. CALiMAGic matters most with RO water, soft water or coco. KoolBloom waits for bloom. Bring a water reading and we'll tell you which ones your setup needs.

What pH should I aim for?

GH aims its pH tools at about 5.5 to 6.5 for most crops. Our lane for coco and hydro, 5.8 to 6.2, sits inside that. GH says to check pH after the nutrients are mixed, not before. Add pH Up or Down in small doses, stir and retest.

Can I run GH in soil?

Yes. GH lists soil and soilless mixes for the Flora Series. In a bottle-fed soil or peat mix, keep input pH around 6.2 to 6.8. If your soil is already amended, the feed is not the lever; look at Roots Organics instead.

What is RapidStart for?

Getting roots going. GH makes it for seedlings, cuttings and young transplants, and mixes it into a diluted feed, never into concentrates. It sits in our propagation bay.

What about GH's pest bottles?

Defguard, Exile and Prevasyn are on our pest shelf. Read the label before you spray, and start with our pest plan.

Do you carry every size?

Not every size of every product is in at once. Call (508) 459-9609 to check a specific bottle before you drive.

Keep going

• Departments: Nutrients · pH, water & meters · Seed starting & cloning · Hydro systems & watering · Pest & plant protection

• Grower answers: How can I tell when my plant wants more food? · My runoff number is high. Should I flush? · Yellow leaves: is it a deficiency, and is this too much?

• Other ways to feed: BuildASoil: the living soil system

• More deep dives: Athena · FoxFarm family · The microbe shelf: mycorrhizae, enzymes and humics · Pest plan: what we reach for first

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