FloraFlex - B1 Bloom/Flower Part 1

B1 is the bloom counterpart to V1: the same role in the schedule, the same salts as its source, and an analysis that differs just enough to show what FloraFlex think changes in flowering.

B1 beside V1, column by column

Both parts sit at 14% total nitrogen. Below that they diverge.

In V1 that nitrogen is 13% nitrate and 1% ammoniacal; in B1 it is 13.5% nitrate and 0.5% ammoniacal. The ammoniacal fraction is halved. That is exactly what you want in bloom: ammonium pushes a plant toward leaf and shoot and leaves acid behind in the root zone, and both are less welcome in flower than in growth.

Calcium drops from 15% in V1 to 7% in B1, roughly halved. And potash goes the other way, from 4% to 22% K2O, more than five times as much.

That is the whole switch in three numbers: less ammonium, less calcium, far more potassium. No phosphorus is added in this part, because that sits in B2.

What the figures actually are

FloraFlex's guaranteed analysis for B1: 14% total nitrogen, of which 13.5% nitrate nitrogen and 0.5% ammoniacal nitrogen; 22% potash as K2O; 7% calcium; and 0.001% molybdenum. Derived from calcium nitrate, potassium nitrate and ammonium molybdate, the same three as V1.

The potash is given as an oxide. K2O is 83.0% potassium, so 22% K2O works out at roughly 18.3% potassium. Our own page used to say 22% potassium; that has been corrected to the form FloraFlex publish.

Why there is still so much nitrogen in it

14% nitrogen in a bloom feed surprises growers used to cutting nitrogen back in flower. It is not a mistake, and the explanation is in how this line is built.

B1 and B2 together are your complete bloom feed, and B2 contains no nitrogen at all. So all the nitrogen you give in bloom comes from this part, and the ratio you end up with in the reservoir depends on how much B1 you set against B2. The figure on the label is the concentration in the powder, not the ratio in your solution.

In practice that means: cut your B1 back in the final weeks and you lower your nitrogen, your calcium and your potassium at the same time, because all three are in the same part.

In use

Add B1 to your water and only then B2, throughout the flowering stage. For source water FloraFlex hold that the EC should sit between 0.2 and 0.3 and must not exceed 0.7.

Check that the powder has fully dissolved and measure your EC before watering. At lower dosages B1 and B2 can, per FloraFlex, also serve as a base alongside other additives. They publish no fixed number of grams; that lives in their feeding schedules.

Available sizes

Technical Specifications:

• Type: water-soluble powder, part 1 of the two-part bloom feed
• Manufacturer: FloraFlex
• Guaranteed analysis: 14% nitrogen (13.5% nitrate, 0.5% ammoniacal), K2O 22%, calcium 7%, molybdenum 0.001%
• Potash converted to element: roughly 18.3% potassium
• Derived from: calcium nitrate, potassium nitrate and ammonium molybdate
• Difference from V1: less ammoniacal nitrogen, calcium from 15% to 7%, K2O from 4% to 22%
• Order: B1 first, then B2
• EC of your source water: 0.2 to 0.3 ideal, 0.7 maximum
• Period: the whole flowering stage

Frequently asked questions

Why is there so much nitrogen in a bloom feed?
Because B2 contains none at all. All the nitrogen in bloom comes from B1, and you set the ratio in your reservoir through the dosing of the two parts.

What is the difference with V1?
The same 14% nitrogen, but less ammoniacal, calcium halved to 7%, and K2O from 4% to 22%.

Is 22% potassium a lot?
It is 22% K2O, which works out at roughly 18.3% potassium.

Can I use B1 during growth?
FloraFlex put V1 and V2 in growth and B1 and B2 in bloom. The difference is in the ratio rather than in usability.

What happens if I cut B1 back?
You lower your nitrogen, your calcium and your potassium at once, because all three are in this part.