Quote:
Originally Posted by venturabananas
Richard, don't these rates, especially the maximum rates, ignore the fact that your native soil also is probably providing some of these nutrients? For example, if you were working the piece of land that Nick has been working and you followed these recommendations, you'd be overdoing it on N because that soil is already so N-rich? If you were growing fruits for a living, wouldn't do a soil test and then decide what you needed to add?
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The amounts I'm specifying are yearly consumption.
A five year-old under-fed fruit tree will have consumed all but trace amounts of N-P-K in the soil at root contact.
If I was growing fruits for a living, I would do soil tests
before planting, then bring the soil up to balanced proportions (including micros and organics), then plant, and then apply the the above ratios of N:P:K in a complete fertilizer. I would also apply supplements at key times of the year.
As for the fruiting vegetables growing in the straight compost mix, we already know that each of the N, P, K provided by the compost will be less than 1%. So again the above ratios of N:P:K are appropriate.
Straight compost is better than some choices, but it is not a media I would choose for fruiting vegetables. The plants would do better if there was horticultural sand and either perlite or crushed rock pumice (1/4 inch) in the mix.
If I were growing tomatoes hydroponically, I would grow determinant varieties in a compact form. For this purpose N:P:K ratios of 4:4:7 are better suited.