RE: Fertilizing mediterranean plants

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Hi Ben,

 

You can see that Bracey and I were trained at the same horticulture classes: less tender growth is better therefore we don’t feed the plants heavily. I do use compost to mulch my perennial plants. Usually it is homemade compost but every few of years I buy compost from a horse barn compost maker. It contains stable sweepings of manure and wood chip bedding – obliviously richer than home made! My plants have very minimal growth due to shade and root competition from trees in an urban setting. The citrus trees and vegetables of course get additional nitrogen from alfalfa meal and some packaged organic fertilizer for side dressing heavy feeders (peppers.)

My roses do receive a home-mixed rose fertilizer every couple of years.

Here is the recipe: 1 cup alfalfa meal, ½ cup fish meal, 2 Tablespoons kelp meal, 2 Tablespoons Epsom salts, ¼ cup soft phosphate, ¼ cup oyster shell flour, ½ cup soybean meal.

 

Susan Bouchez