Plagron - Power Roots

An organic root additive with humic acids, seaweed extracts, vitamins and hydrolysed proteins, registered as NPK fertiliser 0-0-1.4. 1 ml per litre at every watering. Plagron have changed the recipe.

The recipe has changed, so check what you are holding

Plagron have recently reformulated this product, and they say something on their own page you rarely see on a label: if your Power Roots smells of herbs, you probably have a new batch. That herbal smell is a side effect of the new recipe, which according to Plagron increases the amount of roots and the speed at which they form.

Worth knowing for two reasons. The first is practical: if your bottle suddenly smells different from the last one, nothing is wrong with it.

The second is more awkward. When a recipe changes, the old declaration goes on circulating for years. Look this product up and you will find, in plenty of places, an NPK of 1-0-2 and an ingredient list naming ascorbic acid, thiamine, alpha-tocopherol and myo-inositol. That was the previous formula. What Plagron declare now is NPK 0-0-1.4, with humic acids, seaweed extracts, vitamins and hydrolysed proteins as ingredients, and no vitamin named individually.

So we do not print the old figures here, however much better they look.

Zero-zero-one-point-four is not a formulation mistake

At 0-0-1.4 this bottle supplies almost no nutrients. That is not an omission: it is not a base feed and does not claim to be. You give it alongside your normal nutrient line rather than instead of it, and you barely have to adjust your EC budget for it.

The work is in the four components, and Plagron describe what each one does. The humic acids create more branching in the root system and thicker root hairs, which increases nutrient absorption. The seaweed extract contains plant metabolites that improve soil structure and root architecture. The vitamins, per Plagron, ensure the right process is initiated for improved root growth. And the hydrolysed proteins contribute to seedling development, to lateral root formation and to tolerance of abiotic stress, meaning setbacks that come not from disease or insects but from heat, drought or salt.

Taken together the effect is surface area: longer roots and more root hairs mean more contact with the medium, and more contact means the root system can do what it is for.

Why your reservoir starts to smell, and why that is allowed

Dissolve this in water and leave it standing, and after a while a natural bacterial process begins. Your solution starts to smell and can turn cloudy.

Plagron are clear about it: that is normal and it is not harmful to your plants. It is caused by the organic components and is not a sign the bottle has gone off.

What does follow from it is where not to use it. Precisely because this is organic, it is unsuited to recirculating hydroponics: no NFT, no deep water culture, no aeroponics. In those the organic material builds up in lines and drippers. For those systems Plagron sell the mineral Hydro Roots. If you use an ordinary irrigation system and still want this one, flush it regularly.

In use

Shake well before use. Mix 1 ml per litre of water, which is 1 in 1000, and feed that solution at every watering. Suitable for all substrates.

On the end point Plagron give two moments: the product information says until the fourth week of flowering, the FAQ says stop after the third week, because from then on the plant is better off putting its energy into flowers. Stop at the third week and you are inside both.

Available sizes

Technical Specifications:

• Type: organic root additive, NPK fertiliser (0-0-1.4)
• Manufacturer: Plagron
• Ingredients: humic acids, seaweed extracts, vitamins and hydrolysed proteins
• Dose: 1 ml per litre of water (1 in 1000)
• Frequency: at every watering
• Period: Plagron give the fourth week of flowering on the product information and the third in their FAQ
• Substrate: all substrates
• Not suitable for: NFT, deep water culture and aeroponics
• Before use: shake well

Frequently asked questions

My bottle smells of herbs, is that right?
Yes. That is Plagron's new recipe. The smell has no negative effect on your plants.

I read NPK 1-0-2 somewhere, which is correct?
That is the old declaration, left standing in many places after the reformulation. Plagron now give 0-0-1.4.

My nutrient solution goes cloudy and starts to smell.
That is normal and not harmful. It comes from the organic components: in water a natural bacterial process starts after a while.

Can I use it in hydro?
Not in a recirculating system. It is organic, so no NFT, deep water culture or aeroponics. The mineral Hydro Roots is meant for those.

Does this replace my base feed?
No. At 0-0-1.4 it supplies almost no nutrients. It goes alongside your nutrient line, not instead of it.