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Re: Troubles with Organic Fertilizers

MARILYN DUBE' wrote:
> 
> At 12:28 PM 2/24/98 EST, MsAlaiyo@aol.com wrote:
> >Hi Everybody,
> >
> > I have used Alaska Fish Fertilizer (5-1-1) for the past two seasons.  The
> >package directions say to use three tablespoons per gallon of water.  I
> >generally use half that much for seedlings.  However, the fish fertilizer
> >doesn't seem to keep the seedlings' leaves green.  I fear that the leaves will
> >yellow after a while as in past years.
> >
> >Usually, I have given up and used Peters 20-20-20 at 1/4 strength and this
> >seems to solve the problem. But I really hate to rely on inorganic
> >fertilizers.  Can someone please share their methods for keeping seedlings
> >robustly green using only
> >organic fertilizers?
> >
> >Thank you kindly in advance.
> >
> >Alaiyo Barnes
> >Zone 7b
> >Southern Maryland
> >
> I alternate fish emulsion with a balanced manufactured fert. such as Peters
> for seedlings, but in cases where I have used fish exclusively, I add a
> liquid form of kelp which contains micronutrients.  This combination should
> keep your seedlings green.
> Marilyn Dube'
> NATURAL DESIGN PLANTS
> Hardy Perennials, Choice Tropicals
> Portland, Oregon
If your Fish fertilizer is 5-1-1, and the Peters is 20-20-20, and you
say that the plants grow BETTER with the Peters, increase your
concentration of the Fish until you get higher numbers.  Example: 4
times the dose makes the concentration 20-4-4.  
When I fertilize in the nursery, we often use 200 parts per million of
nitrogen at EVERY watering (for basket stuffers and such).  This is
nearly equal to the reccomended dose of Peters per gallon.  I DO NOT
encourage customers to use Fish emulsion on heavy feeders such as the
Superpetunias because you cannot get the numbers up high enough without
throwing everything else out of whack.
Organic is just peachy, but when you're operating at high production
level, they don't work as well as other methods.
Sorry. 
-- 
The Greenhouse Nursery
81 S. Bagley Creek Road & Hwy 101
Port Angeles, WA  98362
(360) 417-2664
Zone 8
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