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Nutrient Regime - Help Needed!

CanadaChili

CanadaChili

Hi everyone, I'm a long-time viewer of the forum and this is my first ever post on thehotpepper.com. I understand that there are many of these types of inquiries, so I apologize for adding another to the forum. I would love to rack your collective brains for any fertilizer help because I am a little overwhelmed with the sheer amount of fertilizer selection out there.

Anyways, long story short, I'm looking to experiment with some organic fertilizers in addition to my inorganic ones. I live in Alberta, Canada (plant hardiness zone 4a) so I have a relatively short outdoor growing season. That being said, I still feel like I am not getting the most out of my plants. I have come up with a nutrient blend and I was hoping that I could run it past you all and get some feedback on my shortcomings, nutrient wise. Here's what I have thus far:
1. Earthworm castings - relatively balanced NPK ratio, maybe 1-1-1. Use throughout season as a top dressing and/or tilled into soil
2. Bat guano - 0-13-1 dissolved into water for use during flowering (phosphorus source)
3. Kelp meal - 1-0.5-2.5 - '' '' '' '' (potassium source)

I suppose, given the obvious nitrogen deficiencies, I would treat those signs symptomatically (using 20-20-20 synthetic fertilizer). I may also till a household compost into the soil prior to planting in final containers to provide nitrogen.
 
Any help would be greatly appreciated & thanks in advance!
 
Since you have a very short season I would suggest higher Nutrient sources, it seems you are a stickler for all Organic so perhaps you could add Blood Meal to your regime for growth stage somewhere between 5-10 Nitrogen.   Getting your plants to full height as quickly as possible should be a priority for you I would think. 
 
If your plants already grow quickly with your Regimen then ignore me, lol.  I use Organic myself until the flowering and fruiting stage but I like a product like Espoma Garden Tone Tomato Fertilizer and Ecoscraps Tomato plant food.  I think the specs on the Espoma 3-4-6, and EcoScraps are 5-5-5.   but I use way more than the package suggests when planting my peppers. 
 
 
 
Hey! Thanks for replying. This is purely a hypothetical nutrient blend so I am happy to take feedback. It also doesn't need to be strictly organic. I have used synthetics in the past but it has left me desiring something with a slow-release and that may also improve soil characteristics (water retention, organic matter, microbes)

About the Epsoma, is that a powdered mixture or is it dissolved into water? I am fairly certain that I don't have access to that up here but the NPK ratio is important, nonetheless. What do you use for organics, pre-flowering?
 
CanadaChili said:
Hey! Thanks for replying. This is purely a hypothetical nutrient blend so I am happy to take feedback. It also doesn't need to be strictly organic. I have used synthetics in the past but it has left me desiring something with a slow-release and that may also improve soil characteristics (water retention, organic matter, microbes)

About the Epsoma, is that a powdered mixture or is it dissolved into water? I am fairly certain that I don't have access to that up here but the NPK ratio is important, nonetheless. What do you use for organics, pre-flowering?
Click to expand...
 
Since its theoretical, I might encourage you to read more about bat guano. The collection methods are a little unsettling from an environmental standpoint. I use this stuff instead and sleep better at night.
 
The best slow-release fertilizer (a controversial statement, manure has a good argument as well) is Osmocote Plus. I go through a Ton of this stuff and my plants are killing it this year. 15-9-12.
 
Gorizza said:
I use this stuff instead and sleep better at night.
Click to expand...
Appears the link to the product is broken. Anyways, what I am gathering from various sources is that roughly a ~5:1:5 NPK ratio is ideal for fertilizing peppers. That also seems to be consistent with the Osmocote product that you mentioned. Would that be the only fertilizer to use? Or would that be the base in which to add additional fertilizers? (i.e. nutrient for flower development/fruit set)
 
CanadaChili said:
Appears the link to the product is broken. Anyways, what I am gathering from various sources is that roughly a ~5:1:5 NPK ratio is ideal for fertilizing peppers. That also seems to be consistent with the Osmocote product that you mentioned. Would that be the only fertilizer to use? Or would that be the base in which to add additional fertilizers? (i.e. nutrient for flower development/fruit set)
Click to expand...
 
The link still works for me but its a google shopping one so it might be weird, sorry.  Anyway its General Hydroponics' "FloraBloom"
 
Personally I use a high Nitrogen top treatment in addition to the Osmocote, but Osmocote is a complete fertilizer and can be used alone if you can afford it. I bought a 50 lb bag for $100 last season and am still working on it, haha. But yeah I use some other things like manure and castings to stretch it out.
 
Would love to hear some other opinions on Osmocote. I think a lot of people around here don't use it because it isn't organic. My understanding is it isn't organic because the Nitrogen is made through the Haber-Bosch synthesis.
 
Those are solid ideas. I think right now, I have two plans in the works:
PLAN A (organic)
1.) mix in earthworm castings and household compost into potting mix prior to planting
2.) Use a 4-1-1 fish emulsion for nitrogen needs
3.) Use seaweed/kelp fertilizer (1-0.5-2.5) for potassium
4.) Use CalMax throughout (2-0-0)

PLAN B (mix)
1.) mix in earthworm castings + household compost
2.) feed with balanced synthetic mix (possibly an Osmocote equivalent, ~5-1-5, or tomato fertilizer, 18-18-21)
3.) Fishbloom, or something with a high PK
 
Coming from Alberta as well i would highly recommend you grow in fabric pots with a good hydro nutrient. I use gh maxibloom start to finish. Organic just doesnt come close in our short season
 
I'm a newbie also, I had a problems last year and I used foliage pro and sprayed Epsom salt mixture and after I did my plants took off. I mixed my own soil this year and I have been using foliage pro since the start. I might go with the tomato or garden tone as I bought a bunch of bags when it was on sale last year at Walmart

I mixed, earthworm casting, blood and bone meal, green sand,azomite, humus and compost into my mixture
 
Gorizza said:
 
Since its theoretical, I might encourage you to read more about bat guano. The collection methods are a little unsettling from an environmental standpoint. I use this stuff instead and sleep better at night.
 
The best slow-release fertilizer (a controversial statement, manure has a good argument as well) is Osmocote Plus. I go through a Ton of this stuff and my plants are killing it this year. 15-9-12.
Click to expand...
 

Oh yea, Osmocote Plus is great.  I just dont use because I find it very expensive and I have over 200 pepper plants.  at the end of fall 2016 I shopped around for clearance ferts and found EcoScraps Tomato Fert 4lb for $1 a bag and Espoma Tomato Tone for $3.50 a bag.  Needlesss to say I bought every bag that was available.  I started season with 55lbs of Fert, not sure how much I'll end up using but since its Organic I use more than what is suggested on bag. 
 
I usually put 1cup of fert in hole with a half cup of Garden Lime/Gypsum mixture for the added Calcium, Magnesium, and Sulphur.  Keep in mind I mainly grow in 5 gallon buckets so a couple good rains and it flushes alot of the Nutrients from the bucket. 
 
When my plants hit full size and begin the flowering/fruiting stage I use a Blooming agent as a foliar feeding just spraying the leaves of the plant, I dont want to drench the soil and disturb all the microbiotics created from the organic fertilizer I use and blooming agents can be quite harsh. 
 
I still top dress plants with organic fertilizer every 7-10 days all season. 
 
 
That is just what I do, cheers. 
 
Canes1 said:
I'm a newbie also, I had a problems last year and I used foliage pro and sprayed Epsom salt mixture and after I did my plants took off. I mixed my own soil this year and I have been using foliage pro since the start. I might go with the tomato or garden tone as I bought a bunch of bags when it was on sale last year at Walmart

I mixed, earthworm casting, blood and bone meal, green sand,azomite, humus and compost into my mixture
Click to expand...
There is plenty of calcium and magnesium in foliage pro. No need to use epsom salts. Should use a light dose with every watering
 
lek said:
 
I don't understand why many people think that pepper plant needs high phosphorus.  :shocked:
Click to expand...
 I honestly had no idea. Does trying to get a 5-1-5 ratio overall sound right? I appreciate all of the help but I am looking to buy something fairly shortly.

I'll try to hit that with these products (or similar ones with similar NPKs)
- Dress with earthworm castings every 7-10 days
- Supplement feedings with CalMax (2-0-0)
 
And add:
https://grotek.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/10L-Solo-Tek-Grow-480x480.png (6-3-7)
OR
https://grotek.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/FISH-PLUS.png (5-1-1)
 
AND
https://grotek.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/4L-Vitamax-Plus-480x480.png (1-1-2)
 
Thoughts?
 
Gorizza said:
 
The link still works for me but its a google shopping one so it might be weird, sorry.  Anyway its General Hydroponics' "FloraBloom"
 
Personally I use a high Nitrogen top treatment in addition to the Osmocote, but Osmocote is a complete fertilizer and can be used alone if you can afford it. I bought a 50 lb bag for $100 last season and am still working on it, haha. But yeah I use some other things like manure and castings to stretch it out.
 
Would love to hear some other opinions on Osmocote. I think a lot of people around here don't use it because it isn't organic. My understanding is it isn't organic because the Nitrogen is made through the Haber-Bosch synthesis.
Click to expand...
 
I used it last year for my habanero and the leaves were not as dark as I would have like but otherwise the plant was healthy
 
CanadaChili said:
 I honestly had no idea. Does trying to get a 5-1-5 ratio overall sound right? I appreciate all of the help but I am looking to buy something fairly shortly.

I'll try to hit that with these products (or similar ones with similar NPKs)
- Dress with earthworm castings every 7-10 days
- Supplement feedings with CalMax (2-0-0)
 
And add:
https://grotek.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/10L-Solo-Tek-Grow-480x480.png (6-3-7)
OR
https://grotek.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/FISH-PLUS.png (5-1-1)
 
AND
https://grotek.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/4L-Vitamax-Plus-480x480.png (1-1-2)
 
Thoughts?
Click to expand...
 
Ratio doesn't matter
Just get something marketed for vegetables or garden organically
 
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