Food 4 Thought!
 

I now have been a member for over 2 years now-and it always amazes me how GREAT and HELPFUL all you folks are-and i wish ALL of you a very BLESSED new year!
Ok now its time for this FOREVER NEWBIE to ask a question: Id really love to know what the PROPER fertilizer is on these plants-THANKS-2-ALL???
PLANTS I GROW NOW:
Dwarf Ornico (my fav)
Miniature Pineapple
Aloe Vera
Avocodo
Bhute Jolokia (did very well last year)
Tobacco
PLANTS I WANT TO GROW THIS YEAR:
Bamboo
Coffee
Sugarcane (for my coffee of course)
(That should be about it-Mama wont allow much more-lol!!!)

Re: Food 4 Thought!
 

Ferts are easy to figure out once you know this little tip:
They have 3 numbers on the front of the package; ex. 10-10-10. Start from the first number and go up the plant>>>>1st number=roots, 2nd number=foliage, 3rd number=fruit and flowers. So, depending on what you would need for any plant-if the root system needs help-purchase a fert with a higher 1st number, if the foliage is lacking-purchase a fert with a higher second number, if you want to produce lots of flowers and fruit-purchase a fert with a higher 3rd number. Even numbers such as the 10-10-10 example would be good for the entire plant. Depending on your soil (if its really lacking) bananas and heliconias will benefit from using Epsom salts dissolved in the water. Of course you can always go with using Miracle grow at half strength or even a little less each time you water. Dont fertilize in the winter months as even tropicals will slow down and tend to go into a rest phase if you live in an area where it is dry and cooler in the winter. Save it for spring when the rains and heat are back up. Indoor plants during the winter will also not benefit very much from having fertilizer. I would also recommend using Superthrive as an addition to any fert regiment-it does wonders for growing new healthy root systems, especially for bananas that have been sort of struggling inside the home all winter long..

Re: Food 4 Thought!
 

its really not that clear cut.

N P K numbers = Nitrogen, Phosphorous, Potassium

Nitrogen by itself will not induce root growth, quite the opposite it. it will create a potassium deficiency leading to alot of vegatative growth and an under developed root structure.

bloom inducing fertilizers for flowering bushes are phosphorous biased,

Re: Food 4 Thought!
 

This is what I was told by a sales rep years ago...............................

Re: Food 4 Thought!
 

heres a good article
Fertilizer Numbers (N-P-K)

Organic Fertilizer Numbers (N-P-K)
By Jennifer Black, Planet Natural

Confused about fertilizer numbers? What value do they have in organic gardening? A plant needs nutrients to survive. Most of these are provided by the soil, but soil varies tremendously in nutrient amounts, soil type, pH, and nutrient availability.

The three main nutrients that have been identified as absolutely necessary for plants are nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K). These three are also known as macronutrients, and are the source of the three numbers commonly found on organic fertilizer labels. The numbers found on our Organic All-Purpose Fertilizer, for example, are 8-5-5. This is the percentage by weight of the N, P, and K found in the fertilizer.

So what's so important about nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium?

Nitrogen (N) is probably the most widely recognized nutrient, known primarily for its ability to "green up" lawns. Nitrogen mainly affects vegetative growth and general health. Chlorophyll, the green substance in plants responsible for photosynthesis, is largely composed of nitrogen. It is also used heavily in new shoots, buds, and leaves. Air contains about 78% nitrogen, but atmospheric nitrogen is not readily available to plants. They must absorb it through the soil. Ammonium and nitrate are both readily available forms of nitrogen, but they are common in chemical fertilizers and leach heavily and quickly out of the soil. Nitrogen can be applied organically in many ways, including composted manure, blood meal, canola meal, fish powder and various liquid organic fertilizers. Keep in mind that many organic dry fertilizers are slow-release, helping the long-term nitrogen content and building up organic matter in the soil.

Nitrogen deficiency is recognized by the yellowing of older leaves, slowing or stopping of growth. Leaves may drop sooner than expected. Excess nitrogen is recognized by extremely fast growth, resulting in long, spindly, weak shoots with dark green leaves.

Phosphorus (P) is important for healthy roots and is used more heavily during blooming and seed set. Phosphorus is easily rendered unavailable to plants when the pH is slightly unbalanced. It is released in soil through decomposing organic matter.

Phosphorus deficiency is recognized by dull green leaves and purplish stems. The plant is generally unhealthy, sometimes yellowing. Lack of blooming with lush green foliage may also indicated a lack of phosphorus. Organic phosphorus can be found in rock phosphate, bone meal and various liquid organic fertilizers such as fish emulsion.

Potassium (K), sometimes known as potash, is important for general health of plants. It is key in the formation of cholorphyll and other plant compounds. Potassium is also known to help with disease resistance.

Potassium deficiency is hard to symptomize, but plants are generally sickly, with small fruit, yellowing from the older leaves upwards, and sickly blooms. Sources of organic potassium include sul-po-mag (sulfate of potash magnesia, quick release), greensand, and liquid fertilizers such as Earth Juice's Meta-K






banana fertilizers typically have twice as much potassium, (the last number) If you were to provide excess nitrogen a potassium deficiency would occur and the plant would have accelerated growth without a developing root structure and more prone to topping over.

Re: Food 4 Thought!
 

N-P-K
Nitrogen = foliage
Phosphorous = roots
Potassium = flowers/fruit
Unless i'm mistaken?

Superthrive is awesome without a doubt. I would thoroughly recommend CANNA RHIZOTONIC