I have read somewhere that dog manure is a poor fertilizer because their diet is very high in protein. Apparently protein doesn't break down readily in the soil and provide many beneficial nutrients. Grazing animal manure is basically just supercharged compost, broken down grasses and plants that readily decompose and provide easily accessible nutes to the soil.
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fertilizer Advice on how to use my fertilizer?
- Thread starter HwyBill
- Start date
HwyBill
Banned
Makes sense!
So.. I've heard people talk all sorts of trash about Miracle Gro (which is what I got)
Can anyone recommend anything that IS good (and also readily available at Home Depot since I live in the city)?
Doesn't matter if organic or not.
Capsicum
Banned
"So.. I've heard people talk all sorts of trash about Miracle Gro "
Miracle gro is one of the best fertilizers out. I have been growing a long time and stand by it 100%. I have grown hydroponically with 3-part synthetic fertilizer all the way to soil organic. I have grown coco and other soilless media. When it comes down to it MIracle gro is a good fertilizer for soil container growing.
I use Miracle gro all purpose and the tomato water soluble fertilizer, I get the all purpose in the 10 lb box. I like dry soluble fertilizer because they are easy to use and store.
You should use tomato water soluble fertilizer 18-18-21 and use it 1/3 strength. Then get some gypsum (Ca/S) Then some epsom salts(Mg), and there you go, all needed Macro/Micronutrients. That is one of the best fertilizer programs. And all you can get at home depot. I also like the Miacle gro shake n feed tomato and fruit +Calcium, it is a slow release ferilizer that has all need macro and mirconutrients making it all you would need, perfect for chiles.
Since you bought the Miracle grow, you might as well use it. I don't care for it because it has too much nitrogen in it, even the tomato formula. I prefer fertilizers with one number way larger than the others e.g.. 10-52-10,3-0-1, etc. that way you can give your plant a more specific feeding without adding the other nutrients that it doesn't need at the time. If you keep pumping excess nutrients into the soil you risk the chance of lockout and all the joys that it brings.
HwyBill
Banned
Capsicum: Good to hear, and I'm not really surprised. I definately understand the point fireface is making if you are trying to specifically target certain characteristics of your grow, but it seems reasonable MG is decent.
I know there is a great deal of public duping that goes on with massive corporate marketing, but it seems unlikely to me that MG would have become the household name if they were completely worthless.
So at what point does one want to switch from growth fertlizer to fertilizers geared toward bloom? I'm in Zone 5b in Chicago. At what point in plant growth/calendar date do I want to switch to fertilizer with a blend of nutes designed to promote flowering?
I know there is a great deal of public duping that goes on with massive corporate marketing, but it seems unlikely to me that MG would have become the household name if they were completely worthless.
So at what point does one want to switch from growth fertlizer to fertilizers geared toward bloom? I'm in Zone 5b in Chicago. At what point in plant growth/calendar date do I want to switch to fertilizer with a blend of nutes designed to promote flowering?
Capsicum
Banned
I use MaxiBloom 5-15-14 during reprodution. I use miracle grow here and there to save on fertilizer cost and get all needed micronutrients. I use only miracle gro when plants have no blloms, then when the start to produce I introduce the maxibloom but still use miracle every few waterings. If you were to only use one fertilizer I would use the Tomato 18-18-21 or the bllom booster 15-30-15. Go low strength. If you do use miracle gro it lacks the basic secondary macronutrients Ca/Mg/and S which you can get from gyspsum. Maxibloom is a stand alone fertilizer that makes things very easy because there is no need to add anything because it has Ca/Mg/S in high levels. If you cant find it miracle gro and gypsum are a great choice.
HwyBill
Banned
How bad will it hurt me to eat fertilizer?
I dripped a bit on my finger, and then I think I accidentally licked it... it doesn't hurt much since it was a small amount and I had some food in my stomach?
I guess if I am dead tomorrow it hurts alot! So far feel fairly fine, just akwkard and have a weird taste in my mouth.
I dripped a bit on my finger, and then I think I accidentally licked it... it doesn't hurt much since it was a small amount and I had some food in my stomach?
I guess if I am dead tomorrow it hurts alot! So far feel fairly fine, just akwkard and have a weird taste in my mouth.
A quick googling tells me that nitrates are the worst thing in fertilizer for you, and an accidental lick won't have enough to hurt you.
A few of your blood cells are now unable to carry oxygen though.
And to answer the "Advice on how to use my fertilizer?" question:
Do not take internally.
A few of your blood cells are now unable to carry oxygen though.
And to answer the "Advice on how to use my fertilizer?" question:
Do not take internally.
HwyBill
Banned
So let's bring this all the way back around...
How about I scat on my own plants?
Has that every been attempted?
What do you think the nutrient profile for something like that might be?
I'd say I eat about 30% protein, 30% carbs, and 40% vegetable material...
I an not oppossed to eating women, earth, small children, yaks, etc... if it would amend my diet properly?
How about I scat on my own plants?
Has that every been attempted?
What do you think the nutrient profile for something like that might be?
I'd say I eat about 30% protein, 30% carbs, and 40% vegetable material...
I an not oppossed to eating women, earth, small children, yaks, etc... if it would amend my diet properly?
You really want the herbivore crap for fertilizing purposes, it's just more efficient.
Also, the problem with human waste fertilizer is that you're exposing your food source to a whole bunch of bacteria that thrive inside the human body. Most cow diseases aren't able to pass from cow to human, but human diseases pass to humans pretty well. You have some mild protection due to the fact that it's your own waste, but as a general rule, when something exits my body it doesn't come back in through the mouth.
Also, the problem with human waste fertilizer is that you're exposing your food source to a whole bunch of bacteria that thrive inside the human body. Most cow diseases aren't able to pass from cow to human, but human diseases pass to humans pretty well. You have some mild protection due to the fact that it's your own waste, but as a general rule, when something exits my body it doesn't come back in through the mouth.
I was reading that certain fertilizers, and potting soils make use of "Night Soil".
I'll have to post back with the name... a guy whose glog I follow (Shane) had switched away from a potting soil that used it (didn't know it).
I have to disagree with Capsicum on this one. I DO NOT like Miracle Grow. I have approaching 400 pepper plants... A green thumb from a long line of green thumbs... Neither my parents, or grandparents have ever used Miracle Grow. Not even the potting soil. I used miracle grow with time release ferts ONCE, and regretted it. Plants went through weird cycles of having fert burn, growing like crazy, turning yellow... Their time release potting soil is not set up for peppers. Bad bag perhaps.... But as for their ferts I have two major objections to them... Firstly they are involved in GMO, they recently purchased a company that is involved with GMO, and they have "partnered" with Monsanto to produce "better" products. Not sure you know much about Monsanto, but if you look up evil in the dictionary, you'll see their name in one of the definitions. GMO scares the hell out of me.
Might I recomend that ANYTHING you plant to put into your body should have had the fertilizers carefully researched... We've seen in the thread already what can come from a disreputable fert... That said, I read recently where Scotts got busted for "accidently" putting bird poison in their bird seed. Who knew that would be a bad idea? They sold it that way for two years over the advice of their internal experts in chemistry, and orinthology. They kept it up, until the EPA cracked down on them. Scotts owns Miracle Grow.
For my own veggies, I use Alaska Fish 5.1.1 until they are ready to fruit, and then I use Blood meal (i forget the numbers, but its higher in the second number), All readily available at homedepot. If you choose to foliar feed, I noticed that Homedepot carries a kelp based organic foliar feed as well. I don't like foliar feeding, which is an unpopular opinion on this forum, I prefer to give nutrients through the roots as God intended, and before someone says "god created stomata for the absorbtion of nutrients as well" I'd like to point out that the human being is capable of absorbing nutrients through their intestinal tract, often more effectively, and with fewer side effects (IE you can use salt, or otherwise contaminated water rectally) than putting food in through the mouth. When they switch to "rectal feeding" I'll try foliar. I should point out that Alcohol is absorbed MUCH faster rectally, and has lest dilution - IE more buzz from less booze. You go from 0-.40 BAC in under a minute. I read where a Kid died from alcohol poisoning from the anal injestion of beer.
Finally, it kinda sounds like you are growing indoors? IF SO, then 1/2 - 1/4 might be too much fert for your plants. I grow mine in the ground, so I don't know as much about this topic, BUT I read a post in another forum that said for indoor growers, 1/8th - 1/10th is all your plant needs. Indoors = slower growth = less nutrients removed from the soil = less needed to be replenished. Its far easier (and preferential in my view) to treat too few nutrients, than it is to treat nute lock and so forth.
It just occured to me that most people around the country aren't going to have the same humidity levels that a guy here in costal florida (IE the tropics) will. Perhaps under other circumstances foliar feeding might be less in-adviseable. But here I don't like it.
Kellog soil contains a product called "compost", according to a guy on garden web the "compost" is human waste.
I'll have to post back with the name... a guy whose glog I follow (Shane) had switched away from a potting soil that used it (didn't know it).
I have to disagree with Capsicum on this one. I DO NOT like Miracle Grow. I have approaching 400 pepper plants... A green thumb from a long line of green thumbs... Neither my parents, or grandparents have ever used Miracle Grow. Not even the potting soil. I used miracle grow with time release ferts ONCE, and regretted it. Plants went through weird cycles of having fert burn, growing like crazy, turning yellow... Their time release potting soil is not set up for peppers. Bad bag perhaps.... But as for their ferts I have two major objections to them... Firstly they are involved in GMO, they recently purchased a company that is involved with GMO, and they have "partnered" with Monsanto to produce "better" products. Not sure you know much about Monsanto, but if you look up evil in the dictionary, you'll see their name in one of the definitions. GMO scares the hell out of me.
Might I recomend that ANYTHING you plant to put into your body should have had the fertilizers carefully researched... We've seen in the thread already what can come from a disreputable fert... That said, I read recently where Scotts got busted for "accidently" putting bird poison in their bird seed. Who knew that would be a bad idea? They sold it that way for two years over the advice of their internal experts in chemistry, and orinthology. They kept it up, until the EPA cracked down on them. Scotts owns Miracle Grow.
For my own veggies, I use Alaska Fish 5.1.1 until they are ready to fruit, and then I use Blood meal (i forget the numbers, but its higher in the second number), All readily available at homedepot. If you choose to foliar feed, I noticed that Homedepot carries a kelp based organic foliar feed as well. I don't like foliar feeding, which is an unpopular opinion on this forum, I prefer to give nutrients through the roots as God intended, and before someone says "god created stomata for the absorbtion of nutrients as well" I'd like to point out that the human being is capable of absorbing nutrients through their intestinal tract, often more effectively, and with fewer side effects (IE you can use salt, or otherwise contaminated water rectally) than putting food in through the mouth. When they switch to "rectal feeding" I'll try foliar. I should point out that Alcohol is absorbed MUCH faster rectally, and has lest dilution - IE more buzz from less booze. You go from 0-.40 BAC in under a minute. I read where a Kid died from alcohol poisoning from the anal injestion of beer.
Finally, it kinda sounds like you are growing indoors? IF SO, then 1/2 - 1/4 might be too much fert for your plants. I grow mine in the ground, so I don't know as much about this topic, BUT I read a post in another forum that said for indoor growers, 1/8th - 1/10th is all your plant needs. Indoors = slower growth = less nutrients removed from the soil = less needed to be replenished. Its far easier (and preferential in my view) to treat too few nutrients, than it is to treat nute lock and so forth.
It just occured to me that most people around the country aren't going to have the same humidity levels that a guy here in costal florida (IE the tropics) will. Perhaps under other circumstances foliar feeding might be less in-adviseable. But here I don't like it.
Kellog soil contains a product called "compost", according to a guy on garden web the "compost" is human waste.
Capsicum
Banned
First off....
" I don't like foliar feeding"
Agree!!!!!
I Only spray organics for keeping pests away.
Again your saying you do not like in-organic fertilizer, which is fine.
I am saying that miracle gro is a good synthetic fertilizer. You have a lot of reasons to grow organic. But miracle gro can grow very nutritional produce when used right.
I like organics too. I use Botanicare pure blend pro as PART of my fertilizer program. I found growing organic in containers you must have living soil if you want nutrients to be uptaken even close to as quik as synthetics. in order to keep the microlife in the soil living and thriving they must have perfect conditions. So the organics are only being broken down based on temp. Growing in a container is much different then in ground, a reason I use in-organics in containers.
In-organic fertilizer is ready to the plant right away and it is so easy to get all macro/micronutrients needed all in one. . If synthetics are used at the right strength they can be easier to use and store then organics.
I used to be a 100% organic gardener. I did some research about synthetics vs organics and agriculture. I read studies about the nutritional value differences between organic and conventional grown produce, I realize the difference is very small. Some crops more then others. On another note, organic farms can pollute worse then conventional farms with bad practice.
The reason organics taste better is because of the full minarel and micronutrient absorption. Hydroponic synthetic might yield more but might not taste the same because it did not have all the same minerals and micronutrients. Some hydroponic fertilizer may have a good amount of macro and some basic micro, even though crop yiels are very high with these fertilizers there still was not that much micronutrients or any minerals. When growing in-organic, potassium silicate is very important because the plants are not getting it naturally like organics.
Again, you have every reason to grow organic. The list goes on and on why organic really is better, and of course organic is the best.