Reading Monica's book, I read where triple 14 Osmocote breaks down too slowly and, besides, the N isn't high enough...balance is wrong (I don't remember if she said it or if I deduced it). We get a lot of rain here...and it is warm...and Osmocote tends to break down twice as quickly as it is "advertised".
So, the question is: I found some 15-9-12 Osmocote (6-9 months). Would this still be a nononononono? Fertilizing twice a week with regular fert. takes a lot of time (guess that is nothing new) and nearly a mile of walking. Any suggestions? Liquid fert. is out of the question unless I am driven to haul that much water!!!
Thanks for any input....
Carol
Fertilizer Question....?
Hi Carol, You have such a unique enviornment and conditions for your brugs. I envy you for where you live but not the Hauling of water in your hot humid climate...LOL
This is my own opinion and taking into consideration the conditions you have explained about your property. Use the Osmocote. It surely would lighten the load of some fertilizing.
I came to the understanding that you should not solely depend on the osmocote for the Brugs entire Nutritional needs.
I hope you have some time to sit back and enjoy your Garden. Do you every pick a couple of brug blooms place them behind your ears and relax in a hammock???
I use whatever fertilizer I have on hand and for the most part, have never had a problem blooming Brugs...with the exception of the doubles and in paricular, double peach.
What about using a pump up sprayer and foliar feeding your Brugs on occasion? It would be much easire than lugging around buckets of water.
I'm not sure, but I don't think the Osmocote will hurt the brugs but is more of a question of whether it would be enough. I know what I would do. I would make a ring around the brug about a foot from the main stem and lay a circle of some kind of granular fertilizer down, covering with soil. Each time it rains, more of it will be dissolved and fed to the brugs. If I had a mile to walk, I sure would have to find something else that works. The reason I'm thinking this would work is because in a 36 inch earth box, a strip down the middle using 2 cups of granular fertilizer is required. It isn't mixed in, it is just laid down in a 1-1/2 inch wide strip. It's then covered by the black plastic cover so that it is used a little at a time. You might have to do this more than once but it would still be easier than hauling the mixed fertilizer. I've even just tossed granular on the ground around my seedlings and it seems to work for me. By the way, my tomatoes in the earth box are twice as big as those in the ground. It's amazing what the difference in growth has been.
Funny Carol, I was lying in bed this morning thinking about fertilizing my brugs more. LOL. I get lazy. 2 weeks ago I took my Miracle Grow and poured some out on each pot as I was watering with a hose. LOL. No premixing. I had read on here that someone else does it this way so I thought, so much easier! And it was! LOL They did fine.
The ones in the ground I just toss granular under them and water in. I haven't found any around in the correct proportion, so I just use whatever. Last year I would toss a handful of Osmocote in each pot in addition to all else. I will do that again today. I need to foliar feed today also. I am still potting them up. I need a break. LOL
Thank you all. I started using Messenger with MG just a week ago...and will foliar feed with this every couple of weeks. I think I will take that 15-9-12 and put it at root level with the new ones....and sprinkle some on the surfact as well...and then use other ferts during the week.
So, Kell...how much MG did you put in a 15 gal pot? I could do that when we have big rains...let the rain carry it in!!!
You ALL are so helpful....
One last question (yeah, right?)....Donna's Monster White is getting yellow around the tips looking rather chlorotic. I am assuming it is in need of more magnesium...
Demanding critters, aren't they? But the rewards are terrific!!!
Thanks all....
Carol
I've not had a fun brug week. I left town for a short trip and when I returned, assorted brugs had yellow around the leafs and yellow spots, and others had hard leafs on the tops and others lost leaves on the tops. I realize they are burned, but I cannot imagine why all of the brugs didn't burn or any of my other plants - I've been doing the same thing to all of them except I have to water the ones in pots more frequently. Tonight I took the hose to them and watered the entire garden with plain water to try to neutralize the burn. It is possible that the guy in charge of watering while I was away might have put something in some of the watering cans and not others, which is the only explanation we can figure, there was all kind of stuff sitting out. They will recover, but it is disappointing. I'm going to continue watering in the early am and late pm with the water hose, and when/if they recover, I might get brave enough to try some light fertilizer. I find it interesting that many of us have really nice starts but some of us are running into obstacles, which I thought/hoped I'd be able to avoid this year. I should have known it wouldn't be that easy. Good luck with your problem Carol, watering is difficult and I still don't believe I'm making the best use of my facilities. I always try to grow plants in pots, but I know quite well that it doesn't work for me and I'm determined to get them all in the ground where they should have been in the first place...
So sorry for you brug woes Sherry. Remember , they are tough and will most likely survive.
Maybe we should be tough survivors like that too ? ..... LOL
"if it doesn't kill us it'll make us stronger"
Well...I made a cocktail out of Fish Fertilizer (5-0-0), a Seaweed Fert I am trying out to see if it is good for brugs (7-15-12) and epsom salt....a gallon to each plant. If the Seaweed Fert is good...I will complete my promise SL...I am afraid it did wierd things to my hoyas...we will see with the brugs. OH, and I sprinkled the Osmocote on them too.
Punched the mouse before I had finished.... What a disappointment SherryLike...I know how crushing it can be!! They ARE tough plants...and I am coming to the conclusion that the sickly ones are just that...and not fool with them. Especially heartbreaking when you had someone watering them...
What a great photo of the kitty!!!
This message was edited Jun 19, 2005 5:21 PM
Carol why don't you get a golf cart with a couple of tanks and drive along and water them. Maybe some music too? Bet the plants would enjoy it too. LOL
Jeanette
Thanks, Scoot, the kitty picture helped, and describes Red Parker to a T.
Carol, thank you too, I'm going to deliver that golf cart Jeanette mentioned over to you and ride the islands, and listen to music, that should solve all my gardening problems, lol...
Scooter, now that is a good pic, and I think I'll share it for those in the 'prayer forum' who need encouragement that they can beat anything.
Jnette - actually...that's what I do!!! LOL. We have a former ride on mower with a cart attached. I fill it up with 2 gallon former laundry detergent and softener bottles full of water and fertilizer, drive the road, stopping at the brugs and schlepping the water to the plants. It takes about an hour...at the same time I check for redspider and then go out at 5a.m. the next morning to spray, if I have to. I do have a 15gal sprayer I mount in the back to Round-Up....and if I can get it clean enough, I may use it to fertilize foliarly as well. Shoulders take a beating lifting the bottles out of the cart....but it beats the alternative!!!!
Scooters....that picture is darling...I am sending it to a friend and my sister!!! PERFECT!
Carol