• If you need help identifying a pepper, disease, or plant issue, please post in Identification.

soil Fertilizing NPK rich soil?

future_man

future_man

What are your thoughts on Bio algeen organic liquid fertilizer made from Ascophyllum nodosum algae? Reseler told me to spray the plants every 14 days and water them twice a month with Bio algeen/water mixture. It supposedly boosts plant growth and root growth however it is low on fruit growth (I assume low phosphorus content) thats why I should use fruit/flower stimulating fertilizer when plant is in its flowering period.
 
Questions.
 
1. Is it safe to use such fertilizers on already rich NPK soil (soil mixture already contained 14+16+18)? Keep in mind that seedlings germinated in that, so by the time comes to treat them with fertilizer most of that nutrients will already be soaked up by the plant.
2. Can I mix flower boosting fertilizer (phosphorus) with Bio algeen when the time comes?
3. Can I mix flower boosting fertilizer in right from the start, so the soil will be rich in all nutrients from the birth to death of the plant?
 
future_man said:
1. Is it safe to use such fertilizers on already rich NPK soil (soil mixture already contained 14+16+18)? Keep in mind that seedlings germinated in that, so by the time comes to treat them with fertilizer most of that nutrients will already be soaked up by the plant.
Click to expand...
No, most of the nutrients won't be soaked up by the plant when it comes time to start fertilizing - it takes longer than a month or so for soil to become depleted. Farmers practice crop rotation over a period of years, case in point.
 
The only reason to amend the soil is because it is deficient in something. If your soil has plenty of NPK, there is no need to supplement those items - the sales guy is just trying to make money. However, you should find out if your soil's pH is good, and if it contains sufficient calcium and magnesium for chile plants. If not, you'll want to get a fertilizer with low NPK that has these other nutrients in it.
 
geeme said:
No, most of the nutrients won't be soaked up by the plant when it comes time to start fertilizing - it takes longer than a month or so for soil to become depleted. Farmers practice crop rotation over a period of years, case in point.
 
The only reason to amend the soil is because it is deficient in something. If your soil has plenty of NPK, there is no need to supplement those items - the sales guy is just trying to make money. However, you should find out if your soil's pH is good, and if it contains sufficient calcium and magnesium for chile plants. If not, you'll want to get a fertilizer with low NPK that has these other nutrients in it.
Click to expand...
 
Allright, however my seedlings will be more than a month old when they will produce 2-3 true leaves... Can I water with fertilizer then?
 
With only 2-3 sets of true leaves, there is no way that they would have used up all the nutrients in your potting soil.  With the NPK analysis you described, they could go well into flowering without needing to supplement.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top