This DIY sweet raw recipe may not include everything that botanicares recipe does, but it is a good base formula. This recipe makes 1 gallon of “Sweet Raw” that you add to your water. This normally costs roughly $64CAD a gallon. By making this yourself, you can save about $60CAD.
On botanicare’s website they list some of the benefits of using their sweet raw formula.
- Sturdy stems and thick, healthy leaves
- Seamless transitions between plant growth phases
- Maintains balanced metabolism for plants grown with C0² and HID lighting
- Improves balance between respiration and photosynthesis
- Enhanced flavors and aromas
- Develops hardy plants with compact internodes
** I did not create this recipe, I’m just sharing it to help save fellow growers some cash **
What You Need:
- 9 Tbsp plain epsom salt (100% Magnesium Sulfate)
- 1 tsp cane sugar (preferably organic)
- 4 cups of distilled water
Directions:
- Add cane sugar and epsom salt to 4 cups of distilled water and heat on low to medium
- Stir until completely dissolved
- Remove from heat and allow to cool
- Pour solution into a 1 gallon container and add cold water until it makes 1 gallon
- Shake until mixed
- Shake well before each use
Instructions for Use:
- Add 8ml per gallon of water during entire flowering cycle (start with flip to 12/12 light schedule)
- Shake before using
- Adjust pH accordingly
- Use until you start your pre-harvest flush (week 5 of flower)
I make this DIY sweet raw recipe for my plants when I grow photoperiods. The heating process doesn’t take very long. I set my stovetop burner to 5 and stir frequently. It took about 3 minutes for everything to dissolve completely. The end result is an odourless, clear liquid fertilizer. It is also safe to use for hydroponics because the original poster did this. Magnesium is the central atom in the chlorophyll molecule, so it is used in high numbers. Therefore, it plays a vital role in photosynthesis.
I’ve used this on my plants a couple different cycles. It helps the plants transition to flower nicely. The terpene production seemed to be higher as well. I mostly grow autoflowering strains and they do best with less nutrients. So I typically don’t use this unless I’m growing photoperiod plants. I had good success when I did use it though. I just prefer the short turn over with autoflowers.
*I don’t recommend this for autoflowering plants as they can be over-fertilized easily*