Precision Feeding — the Dr Forest living-soil model

Precision organics

The right nutrients, at the right time

We researched how fast every component releases, then blended and metered them so the soil delivers what the plant needs, week by week.

Shop the Living Soil Kit →

Why timing is the whole game

Organic nutrients are not available the moment you add them — each one releases at its own pace as soil biology breaks it down. A bundled feed dumps its soluble nutrients early, over-feeding a small plant, then fades before demand peaks. That is wasted feed — and it is how a soil quietly loads up with phosphorus.

Dr Forest is built the other way round. Every component is chosen for its release speed — fast solubles, medium meals, and a slow one-time phosphorus charge — and metered weekly, so supply rises and falls with the plant instead of fighting it.

The feeds don’t track what the plant needsBundled feeds dump their soluble nutrients early, then fade — over-feeding a small plant and falling short whendemand peaks. Dr Forest’s weekly-metered supply rises and falls with the plant. (Illustrative, one grow.)VEGBLOOMFINISHwk 0wk 2wk 4wk 6wk 8wk 10wk 12weeks through the grownutrient availability (relative)Dr Forest — meteredplant demand2-8-10 bone2-8-6 rock4-3-4 bone3.5-3-4.5 rock

Illustrative, one grow. Each bundled feed is mapped by its NPK — they release early and fade, out of step with demand; Dr Forest’s metered supply tracks the plant.

Every component, researched for release speed

This is what "precision organics" means in practice. Each input earns its place by when it releases, not just what it contains.

Release speed Component Feeds Why it is there
Fast — days Amino-acid nitrogen (Organic Nitrogen 13-0-0) Nitrogen About half available within two weeks — the quick green-up, and the Max-yield booster.
Sulphate of potash Potassium, sulphur Fully soluble; steadies potash through flower.
Kieserite Magnesium, sulphur Soluble magnesium that keeps leaves working late.
Gypsum Calcium, sulphur Soluble calcium without moving soil pH.
Seaweed meal Potassium, biostimulants Cytokinins and trace elements, quickly available.
Medium — weeks Alfalfa meal Nitrogen, potassium The backbone nitrogen, released as soil biology mineralises it.
Bokashi bran N-P-K plus microbes Fermented and microbe-rich; feeds the soil food web.
Malted barley Enzymes, a little nitrogen Diastatic enzymes that wake the soil up.
Slow — the one-time charge Bone meal Phosphorus, calcium Biological apatite; weathers steadily so phosphorus is ready as bloom demand climbs.
Micronised rock phosphate Phosphorus, calcium Mineral apatite, nitrogen-free — the plant-based charge, slowest of all.
Buffers — hold and release Zeolite Holds ammonium and potash A high-capacity cage that stores nutrients and releases them as roots draw down.
Biochar, humic and fulvic acid Carry and buffer Habitat for biology, and chelators that shuttle calcium, magnesium and iron to the root.

What the soil delivers — against what the plant needs

The blend is set against the measured nutrient optima for flowering and fruiting crops. Here is what it puts into the soil solution, and the window the plant actually draws from.

Nutrient Dr Forest delivers The plant needs
Phosphorus ~27 mg/L, held flat by the one-time charge 25–30 mg/L (flower and fruit) At sufficiency — more adds no weight.
Potassium ~160 mg/L, metered up through flower 60–175 mg/L In band across the grow.
Magnesium ~55 mg/L, carried to the finish 35–70 mg/L In band; gypsum and kieserite bank the reserve.
Nitrogen Metered to demand — the one lever Lean in flower for flavour, up to ~160–190 mg/L for weight This is what the three builds change.
Calcium and sulphur Ample, banked in reserve Sufficiency, never limiting Released steadily to the finish.

One lever, three builds

Nitrogen — not phosphorus — is the real lever on both weight and flavour, and the two pull in opposite directions. That single choice is the whole reason there are three builds. Everything else stays the same.

FlavourThe leanest rate, on a rock-phosphate charge — nitrogen held lowest through flower for the best aroma, flavour and fruit.
Standard — our defaultThe rate we recommend: a clean middle between eating quality and weight.
Max yieldA longer six-week veg, the blends lifted a little, and a mid-flower nitrogen booster — the nitrogen adds the weight, so potash and magnesium never run high.
Where each build lands — flowering nitrogenOne lever moves between the three builds: how much nitrogen the plant carries through flower.max-weight 160–190ceiling ~1943080130180220flowering-season nitrogen in the soil solution (mg/L, approximate)Flavourleanest N — aroma and flavour first~105Standardour default — the clean middle~140Max yieldN lifted to the max-weight window~175◀ leaner = more flavour, aroma　|　heavier = more weight ▶

The Max-yield booster

Max yield adds our plant-based Organic Nitrogen 13-0-0 in two mid-flower doses — about 0.6 g per litre of soil in total (roughly 48 g at 80 L, up to 600 g at 1,000 L). It is the lever that adds weight while potash and magnesium stay below their ceilings.

How this compares

The clearest difference is phosphorus. Bundled living-soil feeds carry phosphorus in every scoop and re-apply it all grow — so it banks up in the soil, faster than the plant can draw it down, until it competes with zinc and iron for uptake. Dr Forest keeps feed phosphorus at 0.4% and works the charge in once.

NPK compared — and where the phosphorus comes fromEach feed by its guaranteed analysis and phosphorus source. Dr Forest carries almost no phosphorus in the feed —it goes in once as a separate charge — while bundled feeds carry 3–8% P₂O₅ and re-apply it every grow.DR FOREST0%2%4%6%8%10%3.50.42.8Dr Forest Veg3.5-0.4-2.8separate charge1.90.43.6Dr Forest Bloom1.9-0.4-3.6separate charge3.534.53.5-3-4.5rock phosphate2862-8-6rock phosphate4344-3-4bone meal28102-8-10bone mealNitrogen (N)Phosphorus (P₂O₅)Potash (K₂O)bundled feeds load up to 8% P and re-apply it every grow

Feeds shown by NPK and phosphorus source. Dr Forest’s phosphorus is a separate one-time charge, so the feed itself carries almost none (0.4%).

Carry 3–8% phosphorus in the feed and top-dress it every grow, and it stacks up in the soil far faster than the plant draws it down. A one-time charge — cut to a third on a reused soil — holds phosphorus flat at the level plants actually use.

Phosphorus builds up, grow after growBundled feeds add phosphorus every grow, faster than plants use it. A one-time charge, cut to a third on reused soil, holds flat.all a plant needs (~25–30)020406080100grow 1grow 2grow 3grow 4grow 5soil-solution phosphorus (mg/L)Dr Forest ~272-8-102-8-64-3-43.5-3-4.5

Illustrative — soil-solution phosphorus over successive grows on the same soil. Bundled feeds climb; the one-time charge stays at sufficiency.

Feed (NPK, phosphorus source) P in the feed Applied What happens in the soil
Dr Forest Veg and Bloom — separate one-time charge 0.4% Charge worked in once Phosphorus stays at the ~27 mg/L plants use; the soil lasts.
3.5-3-4.5, rock phosphate 3% Re-applied every feed Bundled phosphorus builds over grows.
2-8-6, rock phosphate 8% Re-applied every feed High bloom phosphorus, re-applied each time.
4-3-4, bone meal 3% Re-applied every planting Bone-meal phosphorus banks up over grows.
2-8-10, bone meal 8% Re-applied every feed Highest bloom load; phosphorus banks up fastest.
01Right amount, right time

Components blended by release speed and metered weekly, so supply tracks demand instead of spiking and sagging.

02Phosphorus stays at sufficiency

A separate one-time charge, not bundled into every feed — so it never banks up to lock out zinc and iron.

03The soil lasts

On a reused soil you take a third of the charge and feed the rest at full strength; it finishes clean, grow after grow.

04You choose the outcome

Flavour, Standard or Max yield — one nitrogen lever, the same blends and the same charge.

The phosphorus charge — choose one

Bone meal — 3.5-18.5The reliable default. Faster, less fussy about pH, and it brings a little nitrogen that nudges a build gently towards yield.
Micronised rock phosphate — 31% P₂O₅The plant-based, nitrogen-free choice — holds the flower leanest for flavour. Wants an acidic soil (6.2) and mycorrhizal fungi.

Put it to work

Start with the complete Living Soil Kit, or restock any part from the Living Soil Refills. Charge the soil once, feed by the week, finish on plain water — and the same soil comes back next year.

Dr Forest · Made by growers, backed by science · Stockport, UK
Made with organic ingredients. We do not hold a certification, so we do not claim one.