BioBizz Bio-Grow

[chancethegardener]

I know that Ami is a big fan of this product and I have read several threads in which Bio-Grow was discussed. Specifically in one thread N-P-K ratios were discussed (thread about TomatoBlast). There, it was mentioned that two different formulas are displayed on different webpages. Now I am adding a new formula to those, which is 1-0-6. On Amazon, Bio-Grow is advertised to have 8-2-6 ratio and I purchased it with a big smile on my face because of free shipping. Today, product arrived and I am very disappointed because literally there is no P in it and N is a lot less than that of the advertised ratio. Any ideas about what's going on?

[RebelRidin]

No .... but I know if you have a problem with a product at Amazon and it is due to their error (described incorrectly) they will take it back with return shipping on their tab, even for marketplace vendors. I have done it. It takes a little effort to get the shipping money (submit papers/images to substantiate cost) but you can get it.

[fortyonenorth]

Chance - I had a similar experience last year when ordering from Worm's Way. On their website, it was advertised with some reasonable-looking NPK. When I received it, and from what I could discern by reading the ingredients on the label, it was the same as blackstrap molasses. I ultimately demanded a return/refund, which they accommodated. Maybe it was hot-rodded molasses, but I wasn't willing to spend the $80 (or whatever it was) to find out.

[chancethegardener]

Well, we have Worm's Way in Tampa. I will try to make time and visit them tomorrow. I am curious to see how the NPK ratios of Bio-Grow and Fish-Mix are different than they are advertised online. This is kind of frustrating because it's not that the available P that can be taken up by the roots is 0.1% whereas the total P is 2%. It simply doesn't exist. In other words, I believe that this is not a labeling issue that changes based on the local law and regulations.

[fortyonenorth]

I don't think it's a labeling issue. I think it's a disconnect between the manufacturer and the re-sellers. Somehow, they (the re-sellers) are getting inaccurate information about the NPK components.

[RayR]

Originally Posted by fortyonenorth

I don't think it's a labeling issue. I think it's a disconnect between the manufacturer and the re-sellers. Somehow, they (the re-sellers) are getting inaccurate information about the NPK components.

If you do a search for BIO BIZZ Bio-Grow, you find NPK descriptions as 8-2- 6, 2-0.1-6, 1.8-0.1-6.6, , 2.8-0.2-6.6. How weird is that? The Bio BIZZ web site doesn't even have a NPK analysis of the product.
Bio-Grow is made from 100 percent Dutch organic sugar beet molasses, so I wouldn't expect it to have but a minuscule amount of NPK anyway since the real fertilizer value of molasses is in the micro-nutrients, and the sugars to feed soil microorganisms.

[amideutch]

Here is a email I sent to BioBizz asking the same question concerning NPK.

Hello, first I would like to say I have had very good results using your Bio-Grow liquid plant food. I have recommended to several friends in the USA. I'm living in Germany. Question is the NPK for Bio-Grow in Europe is (8.0-2.0-6.0) in Europe and in the USA its (2.0-0.1-7.0). Can you tell me why the difference exists for the same product? I prefer the European blend and my friends in the US are asking the question.

Here is there response.

The Biogrow in the USA and the Biogrow in Europe are exactly the same. The law in the USA requires us to write on the label the direct NPK levels that the roots take up, in Europe the law requires we write the total of NPK in the bottle. The products are exactly the same every were around the world. They are all produced by hand and with love at our production facility in Groningen J
Thanks for your kind words, and greetingzz to your friends in AmericaJ

What I can tell you is I have yet to find an organic fertilizer that out performs
BioBizz BioGrow when growing tomatoes in open containers or as a supplement when growing tomatoes in soil. Ami

[chancethegardener]

I visited Worm's Way today and checked quite a few BioBizz products for their N-P-K ratios. Here are the numbers:

Bio-Grow: 1-0-6
Bio-Bloom: 1-2-2
Fish-Mix: 2-0-4
TopMax: 0.2-0-0.1
Alg-A-Mic: 0.24-0-0.2
BioHeaven: 0.24-0.18-0.24
Root Juice: 0.1-0-0.1

So other than BioHeaven, none of the products has P.
Ami, I will try Bio-Grow and Bio-Bloom this season and see if they work for me as well as they did for you.

[amideutch]

Unless you are growing in a sterile medium I would not worry about phosphorus as the mycorrhiza will make any phosphorous in the growing medium available to the plant. Ami

[RayR]

I guess there's a lesson in there for growers on this side of the pond, that the NPK analysis on organic fertilizers only reflects the plant available NPK. There's actually more NPK in there but it requires soil bacteria and fungi to convert it to inorganic forms that the roots can take up. I guess that makes organic fertilizers the original time release fertilizers.

Thanks Ami for clearing up that difference between the European NPK analysis and the US NPK analysis.

[fortyonenorth]

It requires more than time, too. It requires the right soil conditions in terms of temperature, microbe activity, pH etc. For example, studies have shown that rock phosphate (a common source of organic P) is completely unavailable when pH is over 7.

When you're growing in the ground, soil microorganisms have time to mineralize unavailable nutrients - if it's not ready this year, it will be available for future crops. That's assuming that it isn't leached from the soil. In container culture it's different, one needs to be focused on what is immediately available or what can be made available over the course of a single season.

That's why having a biologically active soil is critically important. Without it, one cannot garden organically. It just won't work.

[krepis]

I have used BioBizz product line with great result for many years. In my experience it's a good nutrient choice for organic container growing. I started to use organic liquid fertilizer for the ease of use +
to have the control to add nutrients as I go. As a disclaimer I have to say I have mainly been growing peppers/chiles with just some tomatoes on the side. So I can't say too much about BioBizz & tomatoes(this will change this season), but in theory the feeding schedules are pretty much the same.

As I was planning to buy more ferts for this year, I visited the BioBizz website and saw that they have new graphics for the products, but it looks like they have changed the NPK ratio also.

If it wasn't bit confusing with the US/Europe NPK ratios, there's a question of new/old bottles too. Or at least i'm bit confused.

old bottle (NPK 8.0-2.0-6.0)




new bottle (NPK 4.0-3.0-6.0)



comparing NPK & other Biobizz products:

Bio-Bloom:

old 2.0-6.0-3.5
new 2.0-7.0-4.0

Top Max:

old 0.1-0.01-0.1
new 0.1-0.01-0.1

Alg-a-Mic:

old 0.1-0.1-0.1
new 0.1-0.1-0.1

Still I will test the "new" product line(with tomatoes) and hope they will perform together the same as before.

[maf]

That is strange, I am in Europe too and the Bio-Grow I bought in October 2011 has the old label design but has the NPK ratio of 4.0-3.0-6.0, same as the new style design. When I got home from the hydro shop and compared my product to that I saw on the web I thought I had been palmed off with some old stuff because the ratios were different; now it seems I had fresh stuff after all........ ........ maybe?

In any case it worked pretty well indoors this winter.

Edit: I think 4-3-6 is a better ratio for tomatoes than 8-2-6.

[krepis]

Originally Posted by maf

That is strange, I am in Europe too and the Bio-Grow I bought in October 2011 has the old label design but has the NPK ratio of 4.0-3.0-6.0, same as the new style design. When I got home from the hydro shop and compared my product to that I saw on the web I thought I had been palmed off with some old stuff because the ratios were different; now it seems I had fresh stuff after all........ ........ maybe?

In any case it worked pretty well indoors this winter.

Edit: I think 4-3-6 is a better ratio for tomatoes than 8-2-6.

Thank you for this information, I'm glad that that it has worked for you. I bought my last batch with the old labels in april 2011 and they had the old ratios that are shown on my previous post. They must've changed the NPK ratio sometime before the new design. I concur it looks better now for tomatoes with less N.

[amideutch]

Krepis, thanks for the info and pictures. Evidently they have readjusted their NPK's for BG. I will find out when I make my new order for this year. Being at 60 deg. North you be almost be in God's Country. And yes the 4-3-6 is closer to the recommended NPK ratio for tomatoes of 2-1-3. Ami