I just checked weather.com again. 82 on Thursday, 86 on Friday, and low 70's to high 60's on the weekend. Oh well - the weekend is far enough away where I can keep my fingers crossed that they are wrong - especially how often they change it, lol!
All my brugs seem sick...
Jeanette, I did the same thing last year, about trying to second guess the weather to spray the brugs and it never worked out for me. If I didn't spray, it got too hot and i'd have to wait until evening, then it would rain, over and over. This year we have not had as much rain, so it's been easier to spray - I've already used lots of stuff, kinda like wearing a belt and suspenders, and i hate doing that, the energy alone, much less the cost, but I don't want the brugs eaten up this year be the darned old no see 'ems, or the sugs and cats...good luck with yours and i hope your weather behaves!!!!
Back to the fertilizer question. Monika says that the phosphate binds to the plant while the Nitrogen and potassium washes out. So if you use a high middle number you end up with way too much phosphate. I am using Peter's 20-20-20 just because I haven't found a better number yet. most i see are either really low numbers or else the middle number is huge. I was hoping the azalea fert would be good since Brugs like a little acidity. 6-7 I think but hopefully someone will correct me if I am wrong
Monika gave some good formulas are 18-12-18, 16+6+26 16-8-22
use. That is why I went to http://www.hiddenvalleyhibiscus.com/acatalog/care.htm#ahvhfert00 and ordered the HVH Special Blend Fertilizer and I am using it on my Brugs and my Hibiscus. It has a ratio of 18-5-23 this is the closes I have found anywhere to use.
Linda
This message was edited May 25, 2005 10:20 AM
I'm using 15-5-15 CalMag this year. I could not locate it last year, used 20-20-20. I never got the 'right' color leaves with the 20-20-20, but I am getting leaves so green they look blue with the 15-5-15 - course I may not ever get blossoms because my leaves are so HUGE and green. I had a horrible time getting the stuff, and I have to pay about twice what it actually costs because of the postage. However, I've made a deal with the lady that's getting it for me and every time I shop there for a certain amount, she's stamping a card for me and when I buy so many dollars worth, she will give me a bag of the 15-5-15, without the postage, instead of a free plant. It's like Subway at the flower shop. BTW, I had to pay a horrific price for the 20-20-20 last year, through a local nursery. I'm going to ask Lowe's in Greenville MS to carry the 15-5-15, all they can say is no...if I lived in a location that sold designer fertilizers, I would be a very happy bigmama!!
I haven't been able to find the IDEAL fert either...so am going to use 16-16-16 until I do...as soon as we get some rain!!!
Carol
SherryLike would you have time to check out the web address for me. It is for Cal-Mag Plus. Let me know what you think.
http://everybodysgardencenter.com/shopdisplayproducts.asp?search=yes
Our farm and ranch store carries 15-5-10, special Texas blend and I like it too. I just have to remember to stop and pick it up and then use it!
I'll tell ya, Susie, if you like packing and shipping, you could maybe make a buck or two sending that stuff to people like me that cannot get it. I paid $45.00, and they only got my one sack...
2 pugs, I looked at the site, but it doesn't give the numbers for the fert, mine is 15-5-15, and I *think* the numbers are as important as the CalMag part. But, I cannot swear to that, I'm really green as grass. However, my brugs look much better since I started using the correct fertilizer. If you get leaves almost blue, a blue-green, I'd say you don't need anything else. I had light green leaves - I did not like them, I wanted more and that fert is the only thing I've done differently...
Oh my, I think a 50 lb bag was $12.00
Heavens, Susie, that's almost worth a trip to Bayview to load up, whew, I'm amazed. Where is Bayview??
It's on the way to South Padre Island, down in the SE corner of TX. Come on down, we'll go tour the island!
Hey, that sounds fun!! Are you near Houston??
near Corpus Christi? I have some great aunts that live there.
About 3 hours south of Corpus, about 6-7 hours south of Houston. I'm down at the end of the earth, lol
AH heck.. a 3 hour drive is nothing to a texan (or a californian..lol)
That's right, we don't say something is X miles away, we say it's so many minutes(or hours) away and 3 hours is short drive, lol.
like near Brownesvile? On that tip?
SherryLike I send them a e-mail to ask what the ratio is. Haven't heard anything yet. I did order it before I asked your opinion, hope I didn't screw up.
I thought it sounded like something you just added to you regular fertilizer. I guess I will find out. It's not as if I haven't gotten something before and found out it isn't what I really needed.
Is this what they call trial and error.
Hi, All -
I ordered some 15-5-15 from AM Leonards last night using a link Shirley had given me months ago. Shipping was supposed to be $7, but I am worried because I saw a link on there saying it has some sort of hazard label on it requiring a special license to ship UPS which they don't have. Therefore it has to ship freight?? For $7? I am going to call them this morning and ask about that. Shirley - if you see this did you actually end up paying $7 for freight or did it cost you more?
Diane
Karrie, yes, on that tip of Texas near Brownsville. If you pull up a map of Texas, you should see Los Fresnos and Port Isabel. If you look to the northeast, you will see Laguna Atascosa Wildlife Refuge, I am right on the border of it, by 106.
Here is one link to LAWR http://www.texasoutside.com/southpadre/LagunaAtascosa.htm
Here is a better link http://www.lifeadventures.com/atascosa.htm
We love to go there, it's got trails you drive on, so you can see the birds but stay cool in your car. We always see flacons, osprey, green jays and the roseate spoonbills are so pretty and pink during breeding season! There's nothing like looking up into a clear blue sky and seeing a flock of flamingo pink birds fly over!
Sounds like my kind of place. LOL
Oh Kell, the Roseate Spoonbills are beautiful! Even in winter, they are pink, but from late winter/early spring thru summer, they are hot pink, pepto pink. They would look good in your garden, but you'd have to build them a pond with crawdads for them to eat. Here is a picture
I forgot to mention, they eat snails too.
What an unusual and beautiful bird...
I always learn something new when I come to DG....
I could really use a snail eater....
Is this your photo?
No, not my photo. It was taken by Nancy Camel.
Diane, it was only $7 the first time, but the next time I ordered a lot of pots so it all came freight. I think I had 130 pounds for 39 dollars shipping.
That is a very beautiful bird! I too would love something to eat snails. But I don't think that bird would like it up here.
Thanks Shirley - I called them up this morning and the Cust Svs rep was really nice - she put me on hold for a minute then came back and said - don't worry about it, there was a mis-understanding about the shipping. We will ship it today via UPS for the 7.85.
I appreciate them doing so as I can't find that 15-5-15 combo anywhere locally or on the net for this reasonable a shipping price.
One more thing, Shirl - how much is in that bag - it didn't say in the description - 25lb?
Diane
Yes....it's a 25 lb. bag. I'm glad you got the good price on shipping. Bet you talked to Kathy. She is great to work with.
I have been frustrated not finding that good NPK ration...I use a 7-15-9 for my hoyas...but am trying adding a teas. of Fish Fert 5-0-0 to it for more nitrogen.