Plagron Nutrients - Hydro Roots - Mineral Root Stimulator for Hydro Systems
Best for: hydroponic growers (DWC, NFT, flood & drain) who want stronger, more branched root development without introducing organic material into the system.
Our thoughts
A good root system is the foundation everything else builds on, and Hydro Roots is a straightforward, mineral-only way to encourage it in systems where organics can cause problems. It's not a flashy "miracle" additive - it's a phosphorus and boron feed that does a specific job, which is exactly what you want in a recirculating hydro setup. Comes in a genuinely useful spread of sizes, from a 100ml trial bottle up to a 20 litre drum for bigger operations.
Plagron Hydro Roots is a mineral root stimulator built around phosphorus and boron, with no organic components - which makes it well suited to hydroponic systems like DWC, NFT and flood & drain, where organic additives can encourage unwanted microbial growth or clog fine irrigation lines. Phosphorus drives root cell division and elongation, while boron supports cell wall structure, so together they promote faster root initiation, more secondary root branching and thicker root hairs.
It's used from the early growth stage right through to around the fourth week of flowering, at a standard dose of roughly 1ml per litre with every watering, making it easy to fold into an existing feeding schedule rather than treating it as a separate step.
How it compares
Root stimulators split broadly into organic (humic acid, seaweed-based) and mineral formulas - Hydro Roots sits firmly in the mineral camp.
- Compared with Plagron's own Power Roots, which uses organic ingredients like humic acids and seaweed extract, Hydro Roots is purely mineral and better suited to recirculating hydro systems where organics are less welcome.
- Compared with Canna Rhizotonic, an organic root stimulant popular in soil and coco, Hydro Roots is the more hydro-appropriate choice thanks to its mineral-only formulation.
- Compared with General Hydroponics RapidStart, both target root branching and vigour with a phosphorus-forward mineral approach, with brand and dosing rate being the main practical differences.
If you're running true hydro and want to avoid organic build-up in your system, a mineral-only root feed like this is the more sensible fit.
Usage guidance
Hydro Roots is dosed with every watering rather than as an occasional boost.
Dosage
Use approximately 1ml per litre of nutrient solution, applied with every feed from early growth through to roughly the fourth week of flowering.
Mixing
Add to your reservoir alongside your base nutrients and mix thoroughly before the solution reaches the roots.
System suitability
Works well in DWC, NFT, flood & drain and other recirculating hydro systems where mineral-only additives are preferred over organics.
Technical specifications
- Key elements: phosphorus and boron (approx. 20% P2O5, 0.02% boron)
- Type: mineral (non-organic) root stimulator
- Dosage: approx. 1ml per litre with every watering
- Usage window: from early growth to approx. week 4 of flowering
- Suitable systems: DWC, NFT, flood & drain, general hydroponics
- Sizes available: 100ml, 250ml, 1 litre, 5 litre, 10 litre and 20 litre
- Brand: Plagron
Who this is for
- Hydroponic growers running DWC, NFT or flood & drain systems
- Growers who want to avoid organic additives clogging drippers or feeding unwanted microbes
- Anyone building a root-focused early-stage feeding routine
- Larger operations that need bulk sizes rather than small trial bottles
Our take
Hydro Roots does one job - building a stronger root system in systems where organics aren't ideal - and it does it with a simple, well-targeted mineral formula rather than an overcomplicated blend.
Does exactly what it should, day in, day out - a sensible addition to any hydro feeding schedule, and available in a size to suit whatever scale you're growing at.
