Fert question

[Lally]

I've been searching the forum as I know I've seen it somewhere but what's the recommended NPK ratio for fert once you've got flowers and fruit setting? I can't seem to find the thread I read it one and it's driving me nuts I'm going to get some compost and some bigger pots for some of my chillies and I'd like to know I'm not encouraging leaf growth too much with my fert. The one I've been using is 16,10,27 all purpose plant food (safe for edibles, I checked )

Thanks

 

[RichardK]

It depends, you generally want a fertilizer with more P and K than N, though I use Miracle Grow Bloom Booster which is 15-30-15.

The one you are using now is low on the P, which is needed for flower development.

Hope that helps

 

[Lally]

Thanks Richard, I'm just back in from the shop (4min walk there and 10 on the way back with 50L compost and 5L each of Perlite and Vermiculite and some pots) I didn't get any more fert but I'll probably get some tomorrow. I have 6 larger pots so the plan is to pot up some of the better looking plants and leave the others as they and chalk it up to experience. Next year less plants in bigger pots. (probably more variety as well).

 

[POTAWIE]

I use a well balanced fertilizer like 20-20-20 until near the end of the season where I usually use something higher in phosphorus like 15-30-15

 

[chillilover]

I use a well balanced fertilizer like 20-20-20 until near the end of the season where I usually use something higher in phosphorus like 15-30-15

Do you dilute it.......that is pretty high in N?

 

[Blister]

The owner of the local nursery here in town recommended 15-15-30 tomato ferts for my peppers when they are putting out fruit. I use 10-52-10 on them when they have their first set of true leaves as seedlings. Crazy root development when I do that. Too bad I discovered it well after most of my plants had grown. I will be using it later on the Bhut and Savina I just had sprout today

On a side note, that must've been pretty funny looking and awfully awkward to carry back a 50L bag of compost, 5L of perlite, 5L of vermiculite and some pots

 

[RichardK]

Do you dilute it.......that is pretty high in N?

I just follow the directions on the box for container plants, it doesnt hurt them and spraying them does not burn them either.

Also, for early life, high N is a good thing.

 

[POTAWIE]

Do you dilute it.......that is pretty high in N?

Its not high in nitrogen, its well balanced and its water soluble. Chiles continue to grow and flower and pod all at the same time and do not go through grow and bloom phases like some other types of plants. This is why I usually only feed higher phosphorus levels near the end of the season when I no longer want to encourage any new growth, but instead use all the plants' energy for pods

 

[chillilover]

I don't mean it will burn, I've always heard, especially on this site that nitrogen is bad once the plant is flowering and will put it into a vegetative state, cause flowers or buds to fall and put out less fruit. Even when I asked if I should give higher nitrogen once flowers have set this is what you said Richard.

Only give nitrogen early in life or when they need it (I.E. Yellowing leaves).

Giving it Nitrogen when it has fruit could cause them to be aborted, change taste, lowered heat, and less flowering later on.

My advice, continue feeding with more P and K than N.

 

[RichardK]

I don't mean it will burn, I've always heard, especially on this site that nitrogen is bad once the plant is flowering and will put it into a vegetative state, cause flowers or buds to fall and put out less fruit. Even when I asked if I should give higher nitrogen once flowers have set this is what you said Richard.

Not Nitrogen period, but more Nitrogen than other nutrients, and too much of any nutrient is bad too.

I stand by what I said, when the plant is flowering and fruiting, dont use high N fertilizer, which is to say, fertilizer that contains mostly or only Nitrogen, or a fertilizer that has high N in respect to P and K.

High Nitrogen fertilizer is great when you want vegative development, like early life or after cutting a plant back.

If your fertilizer has a high N number, that doesnt mean it's bad for a big chili plant, because if the P and K are equal or greater than the N number, you simply use less of it than you would with a smaller number.

For example (do not take this too seriously, this is just an example):

12-1-1 = not good for fruiting/flowering or even seedlings, not enough P for roots and K for leaves
great for fixing N deficiency and good for your lawn.

20-15-15 = good for seedlings or leafy veggies, not so good for floweing/fruiting

12-12-12 = good middle of the road, general purpos for vegative and floweing/fruiting

12-20-20 = great for flowering/fruiting

1-20-1 = good addition to other fertilizers for floweing/fruiting
not good on it's own.

30-30-30 = same as 12-12-12 just use in smaller quantities.

 

[wordwiz]

Once summer gets here, I quit fertilizing. I'm probably blessed in that I have enough room to pretty much grow what I need in a summer to last until the following year. Thus, spending money on fertilizer is a waste.

Mike

 

[Silver_Surfer]

About mid summer after the potting mix is pretty well depleted I use Jack's 20-20-20 at the dilution rate of 2 table spoons per 5 gal bucket every week to 10 days, that's it. I don't use any type of so called bloom boost formula.

 

[joeknowsjolokia]

About mid summer after the potting mix is pretty well depleted I use Jack's 20-20-20 at the dilution rate of 2 table spoons per 5 gal bucket every week to 10 days, that's it. I don't use any type of so called bloom boost formula.

And you have some of the best harvests on the internet! Listen to him guys!

 

[chillilover]

About mid summer after the potting mix is pretty well depleted I use Jack's 20-20-20 at the dilution rate of 2 table spoons per 5 gal bucket every week to 10 days, that's it. I don't use any type of so called bloom boost formula.

5 Gallon bucket of water or do you sprinkle 2 tbs on each 5 gallon bucket your plants are in?

 

[Silver_Surfer]

And you have some of the best harvests on the internet! Listen to him guys!

I appreciate it Joe, but I have one question...

WTF have you been smokin? I want some of dat sh!t.

5 Gallon bucket of water or do you sprinkle 2 tbs on each 5 gallon bucket your plants are in?

Added to bottom of 5 gal bucket, hose nozzle set to jet and fill/aerate bucket contents, repeat as many times as necessary until each container has been watered sufficiently to cause leakage from the bottom of the pot.

 

[Lally]

Thanks for the fert advice guys. Hot news off the press the first cayenne to appear has started turning red about 5-6 weeks after first appearing.

On a side note, that must've been pretty funny looking and awfully awkward to carry back a 50L bag of compost, 5L of perlite, 5L of vermiculite and some pots

I did get some odd look going through the city centre with the compost over my shoulder and 2 bags in a stack of pots... but the compost was half price, 50L for £3 so I couldn't resist (It was miracle grow compost). I think we paid £3 for 10L before.