Plants database: fertilizer requirements?

I use and love the Plants Database all the time and it is especially nice to have the ph requirements which most garden books don't. But it lacks one thing. I would love to see the fertilizer requirements added. Some plants are heavy feeders, some very light feeders or want no fertilizer at all. Others will only grow very luxuriously and green but not bloom with the wrong kind of fertilizer. What do you think, Dave?

Dave's probably waiting for me to say something so he'll know which way the wind is blowing, lolol.

Sure! We can add another section....as long as you agree to go through all 61,000 entries and complete this section ;o)

I'm joking, of course - but only halfway. I'm increasingly reluctant to change the existing sections because there are already many (MANY) thousands of entries that are incomplete. I estimate that I spend - conservatively - one to five hours a day, 5-6 days a week, trying to finish the entries we already have. I am ever-grateful to those who are willing to new entries and images, but it is a growing challenge to keep up with all of the details that need to be added, and a lot of folks seem reluctant to do this for the entries they create.

Now having said all that, I'm certainly open to a discussion: are fertilizer requirements a viable detail we *could* add? Can we agree there are a significant number of plants for which we can reasonably generalize their fertilizer requirements? ("Heavy, moderate or light" for example...)

To add fertiliser requirements to the effect of high, medium or low doesn't really say much about the individual requirements of the species. However, if we look at when to add fertiliser, nutrient ratios etc ... we are then looking at a specific region, when the soil warms up for one of us, won't be suitable for others in colder or warmer climates (not to mention our S. Hemisphere friends).

To give a decent overview of fertiliser requirements, then the comments boxes are ideal. If I was looking for feed requirements that's the first place I would be looking because the option boxes just wouldn't give enough information.

Common sense should prevail. Rich soil may need little or no feeding, whereas poor soils need a lot. Sandy soils require yet other treatment, etc.

Still..... we could at least list if certain plants are heavy feeders, such as roses and brugmansias, and others shouldn't be fertilized such as some wildflowers. I have even noticed that some wildflowers do better when fertilized, such as my wild ajuga which I think is as pretty as any of the cultivars. Terry I will help with completing the listings from time to time although it will sporadic until I retire in 1-1/2 years

This message was edited Feb 24, 2004 7:21 AM