– Druid got it right
A few months back a good friend of mine introduced me to a small company based in the Netherlands called Druid Nutrients. They claimed to have a single base nutrient that could be utilized throughout the entirety of the grow cycle. I was skeptical to say the least but, given that they were kind enough to reach out and let me test the product; it seemed fate somewhat, that I had the perfect grow cycle upon which to evaluate it.
We were piloting the 2nd prototype of a recirculating dutch bucket system that relied solely on a single reservoir. Its design is specific to smaller, home-based grow environments where space is at a premium and versatility, a necessity. This reservoir however, would service up to 10 plants and in this instance, 5 different strains. All of which were notable for their individualized feeding requirements.
The grower in me expected that I would ultimately be forced to revert to more targeted nutrient additives. You can imagine how pleasantly surprised I was to have these folks prove me dead wrong. In simple terms this base nutrient plain works – and exactly as they say it will.
To witness these kinds of results in a single product across multiple stages is just incredible. The simplicity of only having to mix one component instead of a multitude of different base or additive components is nothing short of revolutionary. It just makes one part of the job that much easier. This isn’t specific to hydroponics setups either. The usage ratio remains pretty much the same across all different mediums. In fact, Berkana really only has 2 differing schedule ratios. A little bit less in early stages and then an even 1-2g/L the rest of the way through.
What’s even better is that it’s incredibly economical too. The 1-2g/L benchmark translates to about 10ml of the product (in your typical liquid nute measuring cup) per 10L/2.5gal container. That’s a very small amount of product relative to the big boys selling liquid based components.
From a strictly hydroponics perspective, Berkana has performed extremely well. It’s easy on the pumps and the reservoir seems to remain cleaner. The fact that growth amongst these plants is so uniform suggests that Druid has somehow managed to find the nutritive sweet spot for a wide array of differing plant strains.
It wouldn’t be a critical review without at least some mention of any drawbacks. The only one that I’ve been able to pin-point since I started using Berkana is that it lacks the same thing that all other base nutrients do (and should for that matter). Calcium and magnesium needs are exceptionally heavy with most hydroponically grown cannabis strains and as such, the typical hydro grow will require that this be added in as well. It’s not really a knock on the product itself and since this article was authored, Druid has already began production of their own calmag line to compliment it. That’s just a responsive company listening to their customer base and reacting accordingly.
Since the intro’s, we’ve utilized Berkana in hydroponics, soilless and organic soil grows. We’ve used it to correct deficiencies, supplement feeding regimens and, as the sole component for a multi-strain interconnected system. It has shown literally no shortcomings and remains as the single most valuable nutritional system that we have in the cupboard. I would not take the time to draw up a review such as this if I didn’t have true faith and belief in what Druid has achieved here. They really have changed the game in terms of what it means to meet the needs of your plants in the most economical and convenient ways.
To the good folks over there – thank you again for the opportunity to give this system a try. You’ve made a believer out of me and the rest of my bottles can now find a new home in the trash. Keep up the great work!
Keep it green and keep it grow’n!
Peace, love, and all that other stuff,
B-Dubs
Growdiaries: @TheBudWhisperer
Instagram: @budswhisperback
To see the full cycle, check it out on growdiaries – https://growdiaries.com/diaries/119666-grow-journal-by-thebudwhisperer
