Re: Battle of the fertilizers???
- To: s*@MAELSTROM.STJOHNS.EDU
- Subject: Re: [SG] Battle of the fertilizers???
- From: M* T*
- Date: Thu, 27 Apr 2000 01:06:39 -0400
----------
> From: Silke-Maria Weineck <smwei@UMICH.EDU>
> Date: Wednesday, April 26, 2000 10:39 PM
>
> >Miracle Grow is only ok in the absence of understanding of what
> >sustainability means.
>
> Hm... how about in containers?
For in the ground plants, I essentially agree with Steven, but
containers are another story. Since they confine the plant roots to
a medium that may or may not contain sufficient nutrients to begin
with, and in which the original nutrients will certainly be used
fairly quickly, one must use some form of fertilizer for the plants
to thrive.
That said, it really depends on the plant. Some plants, for instance
Brugmansias, are very heavy feeders and can hardly be over
fertilized. Others are not heavy feeders and can be fertilized to
death. Too much fertilizer is as bad or worse than not enough as it
becomes toxic to the plant. In containers, it builds up a whitish
crust on the container that needs to be removed periodically.
The thing normally lacking in commercial fertilizers is the
micronutrients found in healthy soil. Bagged potting mixes also are
totally lacking in micronutrients (unless they state they have been
added).
A diet of Miracle Grow or Ozmacote is OK in the short term, esp. for
throw aways like annuals who are only grown in containers for a
summer. Plants expected to live their lives in a pot need added
micros. Using home made compost and leaf mould as well as a small
amount of native soil in potting mixes for plants helps provide some
micros in the short term for potted plants, but, in my experience,
they still need some additional fertilizer because compost tends to
be rather nitrogen-poor.
Never use Ozmacote on any of the Arisaema family (so goes the wisdom
on Arisaema-L) as it is toxic to them (this is the jack-in-the-pulpit
group). There are other plants that may not thrive with Ozmacote.
Plus, one has to be careful with it since it is released by
heat/moisture, so a sudden burst of heat and moisture can dump a lot
of fertilizer too quickly. But, with care, it is good for pots, esp.
for those of us who cannot maintain a regular regime of using other
types of fertilizers.
Dr. Kay Lancaster - a regular font of great information on Gardens-L
list - compiled a most excellent Fertilizer FAQ that Tom Clothier has
on his web site:
http://www.anet-chi.com/~manytimes/page24.htm
It contains a section "Approximate Analyses Of Commonly Available
Natural Fertilizers And Soil Amendments" listing about every type of
"organic" fertilizer...very good to know....as well as a list of
descriptions for symptoms of mineral deficiencies in plants and much
more - about everything you ever wanted to know about fertilizers.
Marge Talt, zone 7 Maryland
mtalt@clark.net
Editor: Gardening in Shade
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