Veg+Bloom Dirty Base — One-Part Powder Nutrient for Soil & Peat Systems
Best for: Growers running soil or peat media who want complete nutrition in a single powder, without the cost and weight of liquids
Our thoughts
One-part powder nutrients get a bad rap for being fiddly, but Dirty is genuinely well-formulated for soil and peat. It handles UK tap water properly, stays pH-stable, and costs a fraction of what you'd pay for liquid equivalents. If you're moving from beginner bottles to something more serious, this bridges that gap cleanly.
Veg+Bloom Dirty Base is a concentrated powder nutrient designed by Hydroponic Research specifically for soil and peat-based growing. It's a one-part system — everything your plants need from veg through to the end of the cycle, mixed into a single powder. Unlike liquid multi-part nutrients, Dirty is formulated with cation exchange technology and natural alkalinity buffers that work with peat and premixed media like Promix and Sunshine Mix. It also handles hard tap water without fuss, which makes it a solid choice for UK growers.
The catch? It's powder, not liquid. You'll see some sediment at the bottom of your mixing bucket — that's the natural ingredients doing their job, not a sign something's wrong. But once you dial in the mixing routine, you're paying roughly half what liquid systems cost per growing cycle.
How it compares
Dirty sits in the mid-tier one-part powder market, competing directly with systems like Mega Crop and General Hydroponics MaxiGro/MaxiBloom.
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vs. Mega Crop: Dirty is specifically tuned for soil/peat; Mega Crop leans hydro. Pricing is similar, but Dirty's cation exchange tech makes it better for peat alkalinity.
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vs. MaxiGro/MaxiBloom: MaxiGro is the legacy choice (40+ years, premium pricing). Dirty does the same job for significantly less money, with UK water compatibility built in.
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vs. Liquid multi-part systems: Dirty costs 40–60% less annually, ships cheaper, and requires less faffing with mixing ratios.
The trade-off is simplicity: you're buying flexibility and savings, not ease of measure-and-pour.
Usage guidance
Veg+Bloom Dirty works across soil and peat systems from seedling through to harvest.
Basic mixing
Dissolve the powder into your final volume of water and check pH. Typical dosing is around 1 teaspoon per gallon in reverse osmosis or soft water, which produces approximately 550 ppm. In harder tap water, you'll need slightly less — start low and adjust upwards.
pH management
Dirty is formulated to bring your water into a working range of 5.6–6.5, which covers both soil and peat systems. Most growers report runoff pH staying near 6.0 without constant adjustment — that's the whole point of the built-in buffering.
Throughout the growing cycle
Use the same powder from vegetative growth all the way through to maturity. You're not switching products; you're just adjusting concentration if needed. Growers running it at around 1.4 EC in peat moss report larger plant material and strong aromatics.
Compatible with additives
You can layer in companion products like Veg+Bloom LIFE (root colonizer) or STACKSWELL (cation exchange booster) without issues. Just reduce the Dirty strength slightly if you're adding NPK-heavy supplements.
The sediment thing
You'll see roughly 3 tablespoons of natural residue at the bottom of a gallon bucket even after vigorous mixing. This is normal and harmless — it's the organic compounds and bioactive ingredients doing what they're supposed to do. Stir before use and carry on.
Technical specifications
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Product type: One-part concentrated powder nutrient base
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Intended media: Soil, peat, and soilless mixes (Promix, Sunshine Mix, Light Warrior compatible)
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NPK ratio: Carbon-balanced formulation with nitrate-infused base
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Micronutrients: Full spectrum macro and micronutrients included
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Added ingredients: Amino acids, fulvic acids, bioactive growth stimulants, silica
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pH range: Formulated to deliver 5.6–6.5 working range
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Typical dosing: ~1 tsp per gallon in soft/RO water = ~550 ppm
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EC recommendation: 1.4 EC in peat systems shows strong results
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Natural sediment: Contains undissolved material and biofilm — normal and expected
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Available sizes: 1 lb, 5 lb, 11.34 kg bulk
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Manufacturer: Hydroponic Research (California, 10+ years in powder nutrient market)
Who this is for
- Growers moving from liquid beginner nutrients to something more serious and cost-effective
- Soil and peat specialists who want complete nutrition without switching systems for different stages
- Budget-conscious growers running multiple pots or rooms where nutrient costs add up fast
- UK growers with hard tap water who are tired of pH adjustment headaches
- Experienced hobby and commercial operators who value precision and savings
- Anyone willing to spend 10 minutes learning powder mixing in exchange for 40–60% annual cost savings
Our take
Dirty is proper nutrient engineering at a price that actually makes sense. It's formulated for soil and peat, handles UK water without fuss, and costs a fraction of liquid equivalents. Yes, it's powder. Yes, you'll see sediment. But once you dial in the mixing, it delivers consistent results year after year — which is why growers keep coming back to it.
If you're running soil or peat and want to cut nutrient costs without compromising performance, worth picking up while stock lasts. Does exactly what it should, day in, day out.
