Sunshine Boosters FAQ


About Sunshine Nutrition System

What is the difference between Sunshine-Combo Nutrition Kit and Sunshine-Pro?

In short: use Sunshine-Combo for your plant collection, and Sunshine Pro for your grow farm. Both Combo and Pro Series are amino-acid based, difference is only in concentrations and element combinations.
Contact us for large size containers and wholesale pricing.

Sunshine-Combo Nutrition Kit (5 macro boosters + 2 micro-boosters) is designed for small-scale grow projects and garden hobbyists. Each of 5 macro-nutrient solutions is for specific grow stage. Individual solutions are easier to use for container garden (flower, fruit, and vegetabeles) and when you need to focus on one single stage: for example, to establish small seedlings, speed up vegetation, or boost blooming.

Sunshine Pro series (2 macro boosters + 2 micro boosters) is for large scale grow facilities. These solutions have higher concentrations and are best for injector dosing for every watering. These solutions also associated with specific development stages but difference provided by adjusting dosage ml/gal required for each stage.

Fertilizer/Booster Questions

Q: You really seem to be pushing your SUNSHINE Boosters liquid fertilizers, but you also carry dry fertilizer. Is one better than the other?

A: Dry fertilizers must be dosed accurately to avoid giving excess amounts of NPK which can cause many problems with plants including death. It is very easy to burn plants with dry fertilizer if it is not spread out and too much is dropped in one location. If measured properly, they are safe to use during “hot” months when temperatures stay above 65°. SUNSHINE Boosters are safe to use any time of the year and every time you water. They contain smaller amounts of elements per dose and plants are able to completely use the nutrients very efficiently leading to more consistent growth and flowering. They will not cause leaves to burn.


Q: Why can’t I just use dry fertilizer year round?
Q: With many fruit trees, they say to stop with fertilizer after Sept. Why is that?

A: As daytime and nighttime temperatures begin to drop in the fall, some of the additives in dry fertilizers are not able to be completely absorbed and used by plants/trees. EDTA (common chelator in dry fertilizers) does not break down and will keep micro-elements from being absorbed by the roots. Eventually you will have nutritional deficiencies observed as yellowing of leaves or yellow leaves with green veins, etc.


Q: You suggest using SUNSHINE Boosters liquid fertilizer in the cooler months (if in the south). Does it not cause nutrient lockout just like dry fertilizers?

A: No, it does not. Due to the micro-elements being chelated, or bound, by amino acids rather than EDTA, your plants will be able to take up the nutrients as needed and will not leave excess EDTA and micro-elements in the soil.


Q: When is it safe to use the dry fertilizers?

A: When temperatures stay above 65° F, it is safe to use dry fertilizers at a moderate rate. Take care not to over fertilize.


Q: You have so many different SUNSHINE Boosters names. Which one do I need and what is the difference between them?

A: We do have many different names. Those names tell you what they are meant to be used on. Different plants have different needs and we have tried to make it easy for everyone to be able to find the SUNSHINE Boosters fertilizer that they need with specific instructions for each type. If you are ever unsure of which Booster you need, please ask us and we can point you in the right direction.


Q: You have a line called the Pro series. Can I use that on my plants?

A: Sure! It is much easier to use our all in one Combo series, but you can certainly use the Pro series which in fact will be more economical for larger scale growing. You may not need the Advantage Pro or the BloomBoom Pro (one or the other) depending on what you are growing. You always need the Ca-Support Pro and the Constanta Pro.


Q: I have a hydroponic system set up at home. Is the Pro series right for me?

A: Absolutely! The SUNSHINE Boosters Pro series was designed especially for hydroponic growing. We have feed charts on our sunshineboosters.com to make it easy for you to get started.


Q: What types of soil or substrate work best for hydroponic growing?

A: We recommend coconut coir, perlite or special substrates such as SUNSHINE Grow Mixes.


Q: Can I use a special soil that has nutrients added to it? I have some friends who swear by it.

A: We do not recommend using substrates that have additional nutrients in them when using SUNSHINE Boosters. Our Boosters were designed to have all the nutrients needed for growing healthy plants. Trying to add additional NPK increases the odds of having problems.


Q: I have a recirculating hydroponic system. Will the Pro series work for me?

A: Yes it will. Although our instructions say to use any mixed nutrients within 6 hours, you can still use them in this type of system. You will need to closely monitor your pH levels and make adjustments and we recommend completely flushing and sanitizing your system and starting with a fresh batch of SUNSHINE Boosters each week, due to the selective absorption of nutrients from solution by plants. This will also help in the prevention of algae, bacteria and mold fungi.


Q: Can I just buy the BloomBoom Pro for my blooming plants?

A: No, it was developed and is intended to be used as a part of the Pro series. So you either need to use the complete set of SUNSHINE Boosters Pro series

or use Combo series product - SUNSHINE Megaflor.


Q: Can I just buy the Advantage Pro for my greens and non flowering plants?

A: No, it was developed and is intended to be used as a part of the Pro series. So you either need to use the complete set of SUNSHINE Boosters Pro series

or use Combo series product - SUNSHINE Rubusta.


Q: Constanta Pro and SUNSHINE Superfood are both listed as micro-elements. Is one better than the other? What is the difference?

A: Superfood is recommended as a stand alone micro-element and Constanta is intended to be used as a part of the Pro series Boosters.


Q: What other micro-elements do you have that I should consider using?

A: Our top seller is SUNSHINE Epi. Epi is a totally organic product that seems to have magical abilities to help plants recover from transplanting and other issues. It also helps to promote the absorption of SUNSHINE Superfood if used the day prior to treating with Superfood. There is a lot of information on this product on our website.

SUNSHINE Honey is another micro-element that provides plants with boron and molybdenum, which helps to make fruits sweeter and more flavorful. It is used as a foliar spray 5 times per year and in addition to taste, it helps with bud drop, fruit setting, fruit drop and fruit cracking. It is safe to use on all edibles.



Sunshine Nutrition System for Hydroponic farms

What is SUNSHINE™ Pro Boosters?

SUNSHINE™ Pro Boosters is a complex plant nutritional system that consists of all the necessary elements for the growth and development of plants. Additionally, it contains growth stimulants that maximize the potential of the plants.

What the SUNSHINE™ Pro Boosters consists of?

SUNSHINE™ Pro plant nutrition system consists of basic set of solutions (boosters):
Advantage Pro - provides plants during the growth period with nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P2O5), potassium (K2O), magnesium (Mg), sulfur (S).
BloomBoom Pro - provides plants during the flowering period with nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P2O5), potassium (K2O), magnesium (Mg), sulfur (S).
Ca-Support Pro - necessary for supplying plants with calcium (Ca), sodium (Na) and chlorine (Cl).
Constanta Pro - is a unique set of trace elements chelated with amino acids and organic acids. They provide plants with an additional source of carbon and amino acids, potassium, sulfur, magnesium, iron, zinc, copper, boron, molybdenum and cobalt.

What are the consumption rates?

For every watering

ml for 1 gal of water


Stage

Advantage-Pro

BloomBoom-Pro

Ca-Support-Pro

Constanta-Pro

Total

Seedling

5


5

2

12

Vegetative Growth

10


10

2

22

transition

10


10

2

22

Early Bloom


10

10

2

22

Mid Bloom


10

10

2

22

Late Bloom


5

10

2

17

Ripening


5

10

2

17

What are the benefits of Sunshine Pro boosters over other cannabis growing systems?

1. Very simple use.
The basic set of boosters consists of only four solutions, while you are using three of them at a time. You do not need to mix 8 or 11 solutions, remembering each time whether you used this jar. You don't need to control pH or EC by using additional solutions.

2. A complete set of elements.
Sunshine Pro boosters contain all the elements a plant needs, in the right proportions for each stage of cannabis development. All plant needs are contained in only four cans.

3. Safe use.
Sunshine Pro boosters contain a moderate amount of fertilizer, designed for continuous use. Our boosters do not contain excess salts and do not require additional flushing of the soil.
Boosters do not contain: EDTA, ammonium salts, urea, potent plant stimulants, flavors and sweeteners. Sunshine Pro boosters do not affect the taste of the product. They are also pollinating insects friendly.

4. Advanced formula
We use a combination of reagents and additives that minimizes nutrients lockup in substrate. The use of amino acids and organic acids greatly enhances the stability of all Sunshine Pro boosters and provides excellent absorption of trace elements.

What soil is best to use with your boosters?

We recommend soilless substrate, for example, our Sunshine Abundance is based on coconut coir, aged pine bark and perlite.
It is also possible to use our boosters for cultivation in open soil or in a mixture of soil and substrate.

Any special tips how to water with Sunshine Boosters?

We recommend using RO / DI water for professional irrigation with Pro series, so as not to depend on the quality of the water and to prevent contamination of the soil with algae from the water supply. Never use water from open reservoirs and wells without sanitation!
Just add Sunshine Pro boosters to the full amount of irrigation water according to the dosage table and water your plants. Ready for watering solution must be used completely. Never leave a booster solution for the next watering in order to prevent the growth of algae in the tank.

Combo series can be deluted in regulartap/ hose water.

What about drip irrigation and the use with dispensers?

Contact us for information on using Sunshine Pro boosters in systems with streaming dispensers.

Tell me about extra boosters?

For advanced users, we recommend additional Sunshine boosters. Our line for foliar boosters includes growth stimulants and additional trace elements: SUNSHINE-Epi, SUNSHINE-HumiHum, SUNSHINE-SuperFood, SUNSHINE-Honey, SUNSHINE-GreenLeaf, SUNSHINE-Power.
They allow you to provide a controlled environment for plant growth to obtain the best result possible!

I recently set up my farm but my plants grow too leggy and skinny. I already invested a lot into <brand name> "magic fertilizers", so I am not sure if I want to try another system... Attached is a picture of my growroom, any recommendations?

Here is what we can tell from the picture...

First of all, your HPS lamps are too high. Cannabis plants don't grow up to the ceiling, and with this arrangement of lamps, they pretty much lose in lighting. Not enough light causes leggy plants. Another observation, using HPS lamps means not enough blue spectrum. Plant height is controlled by blue part of spectrum.
Regarding nutrients, it looks like your irrigation system is drain-to-waste technolog: watering small or medium sized pots with an excess of nutrient solution, where excess water draining from pots is recycled/reused. While it is a good technology for automation, however, it creates problems with the disposal of excess solution or, in case of repeated use, creates biological contamination. If you use regular soil and tap water, it should be easier, but will result in week plants and a few times less profit.

The most optimal technology for yield is - larger pots, which are watered manually according to the needs of plants.
We can help you with setting it up your growroom properly. If you are not ready to switch to a new nutrition system, this is what we suggest. try watering just a few plants with Sunshine Nutrition System and see the big difference just in a couple of weeks. Everyone who tried Sunshine boosters, were very impressed and their yield increased 30-50%!

Example of a good set up and use of a proper nutrition system:

I am currently using XXX-brand of nutritions and noticed they create some serious salt build up. Is it true that Sunbshine Boosters don't have this problem?

Sunshine Boosters formulas are amino-acid based. Generally speaking, all fertilizers may create salts build up from excess, however with amino-acid based solutions, everything is used up by plants. This is why it is important to keep your soil pH low: to eliminate salts build up and make elements accessible for plants.

Would black bat flowers do well in hydroponics?

Sunshine Boosters are designed specially for container plants. Hydroponics is just a part of container-type cultivation that uses soilless growing media. Potting mixes are in soilless media category.

So to answer your question - yes, you can use Sunshine products for your Tacca plant, as well as for all potted plants.

One of the great benefits of Sunshine boosters - these nutrients have mild formulas and mild effect (being amino-acid based), they won't burn plant roots and will be consumed by a plant slowly as needed. You can't accidentally overdose those fertilizers, and they won't create salts build up in the soil.

Tacca's most valued features are both beautiful lush foliage and showy flowers, so you will need the Complete Nutrition Kit in order to provide all necessary elements required for both leaves and flowers. Just follow instructions and watch your plant grow beautifully like in a professional greenhouse.

Fertilizing schedules

Should I continue to fertilize my Plumeria in Winter?

Traditionally, we stop fertilizing in winter, because most plants go dormant at lower temperature or at least slow down their metabolism. This means, their needs in nutrients are reduced or minimal. Sunshine Boosters with their mild formulas are exceptions from the rule. Sunshine boosters is a new generation of plant nutrients: thanks to their amino-acid-based formulation, all elements and compounds are consumed by a plant without build up in soil. They can be used on tropical, subtropical, and house plants year round, as long as the temperature is maintained above 55-60F.
With Plumeria, you may continue fertilizing with SUNSHINE Boosters with every watering. This will maintain the plant healthy and prepare it for the blooming season in Spring. Just make sure to minimize watering and keep the plant on a dry side until it starts growing new leaves in Spring.

I've always believed that garden plants should be fertilized once a month, is it safe to give them food on daily basis as you recommend for Sunshine Boosters? No risk of overfertilizing?

The rule of thumb with every fertilizer is - it's always apply lower concentrations but more frequently.

Sunshine Boosters can (and should) be used with every watering because:
1) They have mild formulas and low concentrations; this eliminates dozing error and allows frequent applications
2) They add on daily basis all lacking elements that already had been consumed

In general, plants do not use up all elements from soil completely right away. Nutrients are absorbed from soil only in areas of direct contact with roots. In case of nutrients lock up (when elements don't migrate) plants use up all nutrients around roots, which creates effect of "poor soil". Mobile elements are: N, Na, Cl. Less mobile elements: P, K, Ca, S, Mg and all micro-elements that with time bond up into low-soluble salts which are available for pants ONLY with pH < 6.5. This soolubility is enough for a plant only for getting by, not for active growth. This is why the most effective fertilizing program is daily food in small amounts. Sunshine Boosters (being amino-acid-based) provide acidic environment which helps to improve solubility of leftover compounds, as well as add on daily basis all lacking elements that already had been consumed from the soil.

Using Sunshine Boosters in the garden

I read your article on blueberries in the tropics. I live in St. Thomas, USVI and would love to try growing them here in pots. Would you recommend a variety for our year round warm weather?

Yes, you can grow blueberries in tropical and subtropical climate. This is what you need:

1) Choose varieties that are adaptable for warm climates and do not require many chill ours: Emerald, Gulfcoast, Jewel, Oneal, Sharp, Windsor. They do not require any cold period.

2) Make sure to provide proper low pH potting mix

3) Use only amino-acid based liquid fertilizers, such as Sunshine nutrition system. Besides providing complete feeding schedule to your edibles, they will help to maintain pH of the soil between 5.5-6.5.

Sunshine-Epi

Why should I use Sunshine-Epi?

Because it will make your plants grow!

What is Sunshine-Epi?

Sunshine-Epi is a natural plant bioregulator that can enhance the growth and vigor of your plants as well as increase the root growth and provide your plants with greater resistance to both heat and cold stress.

Why haven't I heard about this innovation before now?

Sunshine-Epi is a Brassinosteroid and these compounds were not identified until 1979 and their broad effects upon plant growth are still being discovered. These bioregulators are rare in nature and are very expensive to extract.

When I use Sunshine-Epi what should I expect to see?

That depends upon a number of factors. Seedlings are most responsive, but mature plants will also exhibit modified growth and vigor due to enhanced root growth.

Is Sunshine-Epi safe for me and my pets?

Sunshine-Epi is 100% ecologically safe, nontoxic to humans, pets, useful insects, and fish. It is a natural plant growth booster, originally derived from bee-collected pollen of Yellow Turnip (Brassica napus).

Can I use Sunshine-Epi on my organic veggie garden?

Yes, you can! The active ingredient, Epibrassinolide, is a natural bioregulator that is both ecologically safe and nontoxic. Sunshine-Epi is representative of a new generation of agricultural ingredients, which have no interference with the environment and which are comparable with the natural content of epibrassinolide in a plant.

Will Sunshine-Epi result in GMO fruits?

No! Sunshine-Epi is a natural plant element that doesn't alter or modify plant DNA.

Will Sunshine-Epi affect the taste of my tomatoes?

No. It stimulates growth and production by boosting the immune system of the plant. The fruit will retain the same quality and taste. Your vegetables will only grow bigger, better, and disease-free!

There are many "magic" remedies nowadays, are you trying to sell me another one?

Sunshine-Epi is not a "magic-cure-all" medicine where one can't find its active ingredient. The active ingredient in Sunshine is well-known and is used worldwide to promote growth, fruiting, blooming, and rooting, in both horticultural and agricultural applications.

This product is so inexpensive, can I just use it on all my plants year round? I have some dying plants, will Sunshine-Epi bring them back to life?

Sunshine-Epi will not bring a dead plant back to life and it should be used only when needed: for stressed plants, for plants which need extra boost, for cold protection, etc. This booster is not a substitution for a proper plant care.

Do I still need to use fertilizer while using Sunshine-Epi?

Sunshine-Epi is not a fertilizer and won't replace it. You have to apply fertilizer and a micro-element solution to keep your plants healthy.

Can I mix Sunshine-Epi in one of my regular spray applications?

The active ingredient in Sunshine-Epi is recommended to be used only in distilled water at the recommended concentrations for best results.

I recently purchased Sunshine-Epi. How many days can I store it after mixing with water?

We recommend mixing Sunshine-Epi only as needed, as it maintains its potency up to two to three days while mixed with water.

I purchased a set of different Sunshine-Epi products. Are they the same ingredients packaged with different instructions for different applications?

The difference in the formulation of Sunshine-Epi products is in the concentration and ratio of active and inactive ingredients. However keep in mind that general formula of Sunshine-Epi also works well for all listed applications, because the active ingredient is effective at very low doses.

How does Sunshine-Epi protect from cold?

Because Sunshine-Epi works as a booster of a plants immune system, it can be used as an additional tool for cold protection of tropical plants. Sunshine-Epi is not a blanket or heater that you may keep around your plants; it is a solution that will bring out your plants' own defense mechanisms for withstanding the cold. Experiments proved that plants treated with Sunshine-Epi show a few more degrees cold tolerance than untreated plants. However be reasonable and do not try to grow a coconut palm in Michigan. Even Sunshine-Epi won't turn a plant from tropical into temperate.

Can I use Sunshine-Epi in greenhouse during winter?

Yes, you should! Sunshine-Epi will help to maintain both greenhouse and indoor plants by improving tolerance to low light, low temperatures, and low humidity as well as improving disease resistance and dormancy stability.

Will Sunshine-Epi create abstinence/withdrawal syndrome in plants, or some kind of "drug"-dependency?

According to our research, Sunshine-Epi doesn't create such side effects. However, while bigger and better is not a bad thing, it is best to only use SSunshine-Epie; when needed: to provide a kick start to young seedlings and cuttings, to help weak or stressed plants, and during periods of cold, drought, or dormancy.

I accidentally sprayed Sunshine-Epi on my dog. I assume it won't hurt the dog, but I was wondering if it may help to grow thicker hair?

Sunshine-Epi is designed for plants, and while it won't hurt your pets, we do not recommend you apply it to animals.

Sunshine-SuperFood

Is Sunshine-SuperFood a fertilizer?

Traditionally we call a fertilizer macro-elements (NPK - nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium). Technically, Sunshine-SuperFood is a complex of micro-elements that are essential for plant health. It provides such elements as Mg, Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, B, Mo, S, and Amino-acids that our soils are usually poor of. These elements are responsible for proper development of leaves, roots, flowers, and overall plant vigor. Read more about role of these micro elements.

Can I just get these additional elements in a dry form and add to soil like a fertilizer?

No. Some of these elements must present in extremely low concentrations (this is why they are called micro-). Sunshine-SuperFood is a liquid substance with very high bioavailability that has a complicated formula; it is not just a mix of the elements. The formula is developed with the maximum efficiency for a plant to absorb through leaves and a root system.

Is it better to spray leaves or water the plant with the solution?

Foliar applications are always most efficient in regards of seeing a quick result. However, we recommend to also drench the root ball with Sunshine-SuperFood solution to deliver the necessary elements evenly to all parts of the plant through its natural metabolism.

My gardenia looks very sad after winter - most leaves are yellow and some have pale spots. Should I use SUNSHINE-SuperFood more often and in higher concentrations?

We recommend to apply Sunshine-SuperFood once a month to maintain a general plant health. In difficult cases, like the jasmine photo below, you can do twice a month. However do not exceed recommended concentration. The rule of thumb is, you can apply water soluble fertilizers and supplements more often, but with lower concentrations - this way a plant will be more responsive. Plant metabolism in general is rather slow, changes take days and weeks - don't try to speed it up. Your patience will be rewarded. Try Sunshine SuperFood on sick looking plants, especially with leaves that are yellowing, deformed or have spots.

There are no miracles, but this one works like a Miracle! All you need is a few drops of Sunshine SuperFood:

SUNSHINE-Honey

Is this supplement a new discovery?

The idea is not new, but SUNSHINE-Honey is specifically prepared for a home owner, small gardens, and tropical fruit and edibles in particular.

Similar products based on combination of Boron and Molybdenium has been widely used in commercial agriculture, improving crop quality for past decades, on variety of popular crops: Alfalfa

Asparagus, Barley, Broccoli, Cabbage, Carrots, Cucumbers, Beans and Peas, Lettuce, Oats, Onions, Parsnip, Peppers, Peppermintm, Potatoes, Radish, Rye, Soybeans, Spinach, Sugar and table Beets, Sweet, Tomatoes, Turnips, Wheat... Similar professional products, used in large volumes on commercial crops, just to name a few brands, are - Boroplus, Rosabor, Molibore, Brant.

If I spray fruit on my mango tree with SUNSHINE-Honey, will they become sweet?

No, this is not how it works. The mechanism of SUNSHINE-Honey is not about affecting a fruit directly; it is about moving sugar to the heart/center of plant through plant metabolism. By treating a tree, you give it a chance to naturally grow a healthy, quality fruit with higher content of sugar. This is why it is important to follow recommended application

schedule throughout the year. DO NOT SPRAY FRUIT! Apply solution of SUNSHINE-Honey on leaves, stems, and soil/root system. Spraying flower buds, flowers, and just setting tiny fruit (ovary) is OK.

Will SUNSHINE-Honey make normally sour fruit sweet?

SUNSHINE-Honey inhances existing natural flavor and increases sugar content. It may make orange sweeter by increasing sugar content that is normaly present in orange even in low doses. However super-sour fruit like Amla won't become sweet, although applications will improve fruit crop, quality and size. To make sour fruit taste sweet, you may use Miracle Fruit.

Do I need to use distilled water for solution?

Using distilled water is recommended for soulution preparation, however is not critical since SUNSHINE-Honey is stable in wide range of pH. If you are unsure of water quality and pH in your tap, just use a gallon of distilled water from grocery store.

Can I store the solution? Do I need to refrigirate it?

Prepared solution can be stored for 2-3 days in a dark place at room temperature. Both concentrate and solution do not require refrigiration. However make sure to keep them away from bright light. The product may turn dark amber if exposed to light for a long time.

Can I use SUNSHINE-Honey on my organic veggies?

SUNSHINE-Honey is basically a micro-element supplement. It is derived from harmless ingredients - boric acid and ammonium heptamolybdate. If you use micro-elements on your edibles, SUNSHINE-Honey is your best choice.

Is this chemical harmful for pets?

SUNSHINE-Honey is non-toxic. However like every chemical, it may be harmful in large doses. Keep concentrate away from children and pets. Wash your hands after mixing and applications.

This SUNSHINE-Honey looks just like honey! Is it sweet to taste?

SUNSHINE-Honey has nothing to do with bee Honey and it doesn't even any sugar in it. It is NOT for human consumption and can be only used as plant food supplement.

Can I put bee honey on my plants, will they grow sweeter fruit?

No, regular honey won't make your fruit trees grow sweeter fruit. But you can put bee honey on your fruit to make them sweeter.

Good soil and bad soil

Can I use Miracle-XXX soil for my edibles? I have a few pots with Cannabis for personal use.

We strongly recommend NOT to use standard potting mixes sold in large garden centers. And this is why:

1. Most commercal potting mizes sold for home owners contain fertilizer. This fertiliuzer is petroleum based. It’s just not a good soil to grow edibles in. 

2. You can add additional nutrients, beneficial microbes and fungi without severely burning the plant. This has to do with the time release fertilizer pellets that are in it. 

3. Miracle-XXX soil is affecting the taste of edibles. They will have a harsh chemical after taste that just ruins the flavor.

4. Miracle-XXX soill is too hot for those delicate plant stages: seedlings and clones. 

MD Optical Design