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fertilizer What fertilizer to use?

G

gvittman

Fertilizer is similar to soil a big topic, and I was wondering what y'all use. Starting with the NPK as main characteristic, I typically use a general liquid fertilizer 6.6.6 for the little ones, as soon as they have 3-4 leaves. Closer to maturity, I then switch for a 5.10.10, in order to promote flower and fruit formation.
In most articles you find the recommendation to use tomato fertilizer, but looking at tomato fertilizers, you have 2 types. A first type with high N and K and low P, for which I don't understand the logic, and a 2nd one with low N and high P and K, which makes more sense I think. Any information to share?

The reason for coming to this topic is of course the new growing season, and secondly, that I just got a big surprise when I noticed that all the scotch bonnets which I overwintered, already started forming flowers (3 months earlier than normal). Our temp inside is only 20 C/68 F and the days are still short, with about 9 hrs of day light.
 
I use Miracle-Gro (15-30-15) mixed at a rate of 1/4 teaspoon per gallon of water on all of my seedlings. I start using it when I first plant the seeds and continue using it every time I water them until I set them out in the garden.

My garden I prepare with compost and various manures. This year I'll be using "Black Hen" composted Poultry manure (2-3-2) and my usual compost. I'll also till in some corn meal, alfalfa meal, and whatever else I may find at the feed store that doesn't have a lot of salt in it. During the growing season I never use any liquid fertilizer, but I may top dress the plants with a little compost and/or manure. I prepare the soil in my containers the same way as I do the soil in my garden. I always re-use the soil in my containers, the compost and other organic materials that I put in it re-vitalizes it for the season.

Alan
 
Interesting concept Al, and whatever works, keep it. What you use is a typical bloom-booster, which might benefit you when the plants are more mature. Chillis love potassium, and it also makes them more resistant to disease and insects in the beginning of summer.
For the more mature chillis it might be good to make a distinction between pots and garden. I use both, and for the garden I use, like you, only compost. On the one hand the composted kitchen waste, and on the other hand well composted cow manure.
 
The high phosphorus content in the plant food I use is not for blooming because the seedlings are a long way from blooming. In the case of using it for small plants in small containers the phosphorus is most helpful in feeding the root system and helping it flourish.


Alan
 
I start out using compost/manure/worm castings in my soil which are high in nitrogen, and then I use a balanced fertilizer(very little) like 20-20-20 for most of the season until early fall when I don't want anymore growth just pods, at which time I use something a little higher in phosphorous like 15-30-15. Just don't over-do it, chiles don't need much fertilizer or fuss
 
I started off by using espoma garden tone, it worked, but the only problem I had is it is a slower release. I just made the switch to a liquid fertilizer and it is really helping a lot. The fertilizer is the Botanicare Pure blend pro grow. It is making a huge difference, my plants really perked up and have started adding a ton of new growth. My little corner in the basement is really turning into a jungle now. Only 4 more months until plant out, hopefully the Chili's don't take over the basement before then.

Even though I'm using the Grow formula instead of the Bloom, I'm seeing a lot more flowers on my plants too, they really like the stuff. I did also buy a calcium supplement called CALMAG+, and the plants seem to be responding well to that also.
 
I might have to get one of those gas powered ones at the rate these things are going. ;)

Luckily they are all staying in containers, it's going to be a workout lugging all those pots out of the basement though. Maybe the pure blend pro grow isn't such a good idea, I already have a red hab that must be close to 3 1/2 ' tall. I'm now picturing Little shop of horrors - Feed me semore, feed me, yeah, they'll be taking over for sure now.
 
i use schultz name brand ..... plant food 10-15-10 liquid from home depot it working well 7 drops per qt water every time you water i dont do that i do 2-5 drops only once a week cuz when it comes to fertilizer less is alway better than more
 
Hi Matt. I just looked up your fertilizer, and seems to be good stuff, only with an NPK of 3 - 1.5 - 4 maybe a bit high in N (that is why you see so much growth) and low in P.
The composition is interesting though:

Botanicare Pure Blend Pro Grow
PURE BLEND Pro is a one-part, stand alone hydro-organic plant food.

PURE BLEND Pro Grow is a hydro-organic vegetative nutrient formula which is a specialty custom blend of organic and natural sources of the essential major, secondary, and trace minerals in 100% soluble form from the land and sea.

PURE BLEND Pro Grow produces vigorous lush green vegetation and superior fruits, flowers, and vegetables. When compared to conventional chemical fertilizers, PURE BLEND Pro will provide increased nutritional values and is a healthy, environmentally friendly alternative.

Benefits of using PURE BLEND Pro Grow include:
Essential elements are not derived from harmful chemicals such as a urea and high concentrates of ammonia nitrate.

Eliminates the danger of exposing plants (and ultimately the consumer) to toxic heavy metals such as arsenic, mercury, selenium, etc. which often occur as contaminates in conventional chemical fertilizers.

The organic components of PURE BLEND Pro enhance uptake and utilization of plant nutrients.

Plants acquire increased pathogen resistance and hardiness.

Metabolic rate and capacity is greatly amplified enabling the grower to produce fruits and vegetables that contain greater amounts of minerals and vitamins that are crucial
for human nutrition.

The budding, flowering, fruiting capacity of plants is greatly increased.

Pure Blend Pro Grow is Derived From:
Fish meal, composted sea bird guano, sea kelp, spirulina, soybean protein extract, rock phosphate, potassium carbonate, magnesium carbonate, calcium carbonate, humic acid*, fulvic acid*, citric acid*, raw sugar cane*, Agrimineral 72 (silica clay extract)*, ami no acids*, B-complex vitamins*, and select botanical plant extracts*.
*Non plant food ingredients


Thanks for your info, and good luck in drilling those post holes.
 
Anyone try the 4.6.8 Algoflash Tomato? I want to give it a try this year. The company has apparently a Guinness Book World Record in growing tomatoes, but I can not find it back. I searched the globe to find the fertilizer, and seems to be only available in the US and in Germany. Strange.
The following company sells it at Amazon:
http://www.dripdepot.com/1271.html
 
Here ya go, Matt! This should work!

drill.jpg


Mike
 
That's perfect. I can see it now.....

Yes Honey, I do need it. It will help me to plant faster, so that I can spend more time with you! or not...... lol

Yes the ratio is higher in nitrogen, they do have a bloom formula too, which I may pick up at a future date, but for now the grow formula is doing an outstanding job. I'm really impressed with how the plants have perked up.
 
I use worm castings tea (1-0-0) to feed my peppers. I also use Garden Tone Herb and Vegetable Food (3-4-4) from time to time. 
 
Regarding NPK, altering the ratio isn't so much about promoting fruit and flower formation, it's about allocation of nutrients.


When starting your plants, higher N gets good size to them, all nutrients go into stem, leaves and roots. Once they flower, you don't want as much N in the soil so you get less stem, leaf, and root growth so those parts of the plant don't divert nutrients away from the growing pods, particularly on fruit subject to blossom end rot like tomatoes and certain pepper varieties.


On the other hand, a lot of N that grows a lot of stem and leaves, promotes blooms because every time a stem forks, you have new nodes for new blooms and pods, but you don't want so many growing at once that the OTHER nutrients aren't there to support that level of growth. If you have used a high-N fertilizer previously, a low-N helps to even out the soil again, but that does not mean to try to avoid giving them any more N for the rest of the season, just a lower amount.


What type and % NPK you use also has a lot to do with what your soil was like, also whether fresh or already depleted a bit from a prior growing season, what you have amended into it since then, whether you have ample soil or a limiting amount per the plant size, how much rain washes away nutrients, and even whether your water is acidic rain which makes minerals more available, or tap water that makes fewer available but may have a greater amount of minerals itself in hard water regions.



Ultimately there is no simple answer except that it depends on your unique environment. There's average amount of soil, with average plants, average rain, average fertilizer ratio, etc but odds are that something about a grow isn't average. If nothing else, if you do a good job then the size of the plants alone isn't average...
 
gvittman said:
Anyone try the 4.6.8 Algoflash Tomato? I want to give it a try this year. The company has apparently a Guinness Book World Record in growing tomatoes, but I can not find it back. I searched the globe to find the fertilizer, and seems to be only available in the US and in Germany. Strange.
The following company sells it at Amazon:
http://www.dripdepot.com/1271.html
Click to expand...
I use the general purpose Algoflash for the youngsters as one of my general nutes with great resullts. Once outside in the ground I'll alternate every other weekend Epsom Salts The other other two weekends- 1x with fish emulsion, 1x with MG for tomatoes. Middle of EVERY week Spray n Gro
 
  Damn. Some of you use some high numbered ferts. I feed my plants like they are Marijuana but at around half strength. Peppers,Tomato's and Pot have just about the same light and feeding requirements. Marijuana can be fed more which is why I use half strength. I start with a grow 2-4-6 and then move on to a 5-6-6. In flower I use a bloom 2-8-4 and a bloom booster with micro nutrients. I also feed cal-mag 2-0-1. Using miracle grow is just asking for fert burn, and its filled with nitrates. Some of the stuff I use has nitrates as well but in low numbers. Most of my ferts get their N-P-K from natural plant sources. And I only feed every 3rd or 4th watering so that equates out to about once a month or less.
 
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