I looked at all my options and selected Better-Gro Orchid Bloom Booster. It is the only fertilizer of any kind I have been able to find that has no urea.
This is 11-35-15, Schultz AV is 8-14-9 (contains urea), and MG AV is 7-7-7 (contains urea), according to what I read. So, if I mixed this half strength it would equal 5.5-17.5-7.5, I guess. Would this be alright to use on my AVs? I could further dilute it if needed. I'm still planning to get some Eleanor's to try, but I want a locally available option as well.
Here is the analysis:
Total Nitrogen 11%
Nitrate Nitrogen 4.35%
Ammoniacal Nitrogen 6.65%
Available Phosphate 35%
Soluble Potash 15%
Magnesium (Water Soluble) 0.60%
Boron 0.02%
Copper (Chelated) 0.05%
Iron (Chelated) 0.10%
Manganese (Chelated) 0.05%
Molybdenum 0.005%
Zinc (Chelated) 0.05%
It calls for one teaspoon per gallon.
So, what do you think? Since this is the only one without urea I can find, would it be safe? What dilution or ratio should I shoot for?
Thanks!
Can't find AV fertilizer, so...
Why don't you want urea?
Anita
Urea burns the roots of AVs, from what I understand. I found some information about it in the sticky thread (at the top of the main AV forum page, the first two links are sticky info links). I believe that's where I found it.
Oh, and I fed my addiction a bit more while I was at Lowe's last night. Three 4" Optimaras (I tried to id them at Optimara.com, but they all look so similar to me, I can't, will post pics later and maybe someone will recognize them) and three minis. Most of the blooms were crispy on the minis, but I believe they'll be lavender, white, and pink. Will post those, too. And I did a THOROUGH check for anything that even resembled spilt pollen. Darn thrips! My four Walmart AVs are really pouting since their treatment the other day. I'll post on that thread what I did to them later today.
Since DG was down this morning, I was forced to peruse eBay's selection of AVs. I forsee a purchase in my near future! If that lady will list Sunny Skies again, it's mine! LOL And I think Paprika needs a home here, too, along with Deer Trail and...oh I've got to get back to work before I go buy something! ROFL
Hugs to all!
I've used both Schultz & MG AV food, 14-16 drops per quart, and never had a problem with roots getting burned. Perhaps there is more urea present in the problematic fertilizers. On the advice of folks here, I did start using the Schultz fertilizer at half strength, and I think that resulted in healthier plants blooming more. Last fall, I switched to the fertilizer that The Violet Galler uses. My AVs are doing far better now, however, but I don't know if that is due more to their being under lights than to the switch in fertilizer.
The trace elements in your Orchid fertilizer may be a bit different than "AV fertilizers," but if you have some, I'd give it a try. Start half strength, as you said, and see how your plants do. Especially if you're planning to switch to Eleanor's and just use this for a short while, I don't see how it could cause big problems.
I think we all have to play with fertilizers anyway, until we find one that we think suits our plants best. Let us know what results you have with this one!
urea will sooner or later show up problems not good for Av's. I would not use a bloom booster only is preparing for a Show and then they have steps to go by and when to use it.
If you are planning on using something like( Better-Gro Orchid Bloom Booster. ) that use 1/4 strenght . I use 1/4 all the time except for Elenor's Vf-11 it's gently I use reccomended amout.
I like peter African violet food ( hubby gets it at lowes inside with seasonal stuff )
Also I like Optimara 20-5-10 Plant Food . Excellent for leaves down, babies , plants you want to grow lush healthy foliage , growing babies and plants transfered
and so on. It's a good general purpose Fertilizer that contains no Urea. 20% Nitrogen promotes strong leaves, 5% Phosphate develops vigorous roots and 10% Potash for disease resistance. The fertilizer also contains chelated trace elements which serve as activating compounds that aid in cell development
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
I also like Optimara 14-12-14 Violet Food
This is an excellent African Violet fertilizer because the Nitrogen is derived from Ammonium Nitrate instead of urea. Urea is very bad for African Violets because it hinders a Violet's ability to properly absorb water and nutrients
What ever kind of fertilizer you buy avoid any fertilizers that contain urea nitrogen when purchasing fertilizer
Most items can be bought and at your home with low shipping in a couple days.
I have bought mine at Bluebrids at times
http://www.bluebirdgreenhouse.com/html/supply01.htm
PS too much fertilizer and wrong kind, wrong amounts can casue big problems. Better to use none until you get get a safe kind for African violets. When using Eleanor's VF-11 it like to be used alone. Flush water plants for at least a month with no fertilizer before using. Or transplant all plants. This is what I did. As when I joined a local group I fount all my plants were in pots too large. I used their soil ( bought it) and transplanted all my plants into smaller pots. I used so much soil that a guy from the group him and his wife came to the house to show me how to mix my own it would be cheaper / Also cheaper to buy Pro-mix, and perilite, vermiculite large whole sale bags. They also put bacto , and fish emosion and other stuff in it to give your plants a kick which I love. I then switched to using worm castings, kelp meal, bat goauno ( SP) fish emolsion.
I have ran out of worm casting and fish..still have bat poop but waiting on a shipment don't know where the heck my order is ?
I think I'll try this out on the Optimaras and minis I got last night. I guess it's awful of me, but I am using my Walmart and Lowe's AVs to experiment on. I feel like I need to know how certain things affect them, but I don't want to risk it on my special AVs, so these that don't have a special meaning to me are my guinea pigs for the benefit of my special ones. Am I the only one who does that?
I wasn't thinking so much in terms of this being a bloom booster for my AVs, as in it's the only non-urea fertilizer I could find locally and it's somewhat close in ratio to the other AV fertilizers. Lowe's didn't have Optimara or Peters AV food. It's funny to me how the same chain store carries such different items in different places.
I have read in many Av books to use Fertilizer best for Av's is all the number are close to the same...
I also like the food with first number higher for leaves down, babies and foliage healthy roots. When I am using Optimara foods I like to use one one time one the next time. I do like the little packets gives you perfect amount. I wish I had thought to send you some.
If you do you the food you have I'd use 1/4 the reccomended amount. And you can even feed every other watering :))
Urea Nitrogen: Nitrogen which comes from urea, an inexpensive source of nitrogen which has been synthesized from natural gas. Urea nitrogen is not recommended for African Violets, since it can cause Root Burn.
I fount info in Sticky :))
Root Burn
http://www.optimara.com/doctoroptimara/diagnosis/rootburn.html
There is a lot of information in Dr. Optimara about improper use of fertilizer and more... And other links too..
I use my "less special" or "extra" AVs for experiements, too! This does not make you a bad person, IMO. ;-)
Let us know what you try & how it works out. The recommendations at Dr. Optimara and elsewhere were arrived at by trial & error too -- and what works for one person may not work for another. I've never burned the roots on my AVs by using "AV fertilizers" that contained urea, but I'm sure other people have had trouble with it.
I just never took the chance. I never used it :))
Well, before I found this forum, I didn't know there were any fertilizers formulated for AVs that might be bad for AVs, LOL! Ignorance is bliss.
Well I joined local African violet group that started in 1955 before knowing there were any such thing as forums on line lol. I borrowed books like grow to show and others from the clubs library . I did learn a lot at the meetings . Each month they had speakers, and show and tell where people would bring in plants with problems to learn how to fix the problem and so on !
I was lucky to have a chance to to learn so much from wonderful long time growers .
I'm going to give the Orchid food a try on my store-bought AVs. Like I said, I just feel better having a locally available option to fall back on. I know it's not ideal, but.... There is one more place I can try, but they weren't open yesterday. Plus, they had some beautiful AVs before Christmas! *evil grin*
I didn't know about this either critter! LOL....I am using Eleanors now..and maybe I should STICK with it. I have NO IDEA there were Fertilizers that were dangerous!
I am in love with Eleanors though!
LOL..the things you learn on here! I swear!
I am goin to stick with Eleanors but I did use Schultz for a bit!
Since using Eleanors...my ears are popping like mad from my leaves!
Hey ..does anyone know if charley's delivers quickly? I am still on my sample bottle of Eleanors and just ordered more from Charleys :)
I suppose my AVs can go without fertilizer for a little bit if they have too LOL
yes they do :))
Oh good :) then hopefully they won't be without fertilizer for too long :) I have enough for a couple more batches of water!
thanks Allison!
Your welcome . It will be good not to use fertilizer for a week or two . VF-11 will only work better :))
Where is Charley's? Is that the best place to get Eleanor's? If not, where is? I need to find a place to order it from. :o)
VF-11 Wants to work Alone !!! It's a complete plant food !!!
Trace elements; Iron, Manganese, copper, zinc, boron, molybdenum, plus calcium and magnesium. Ideal mix; one ounce of Vf-11 concentratrate to one gallon of water...use the same mix for root feeding or foliar feeding..or transplanting, or new cuttings..
Results will be more outstanding if you leach out old fertilizers ****
The VF-11 ALL PLANT FOOD HAs -NO DEFICIENCY IN NITROGEN-
IT IS A COMPLETE AND NATRUAL SAFE PLANT FOOD.....
VF-11 IS NOT A BLOOM BOOSTER---
VF-11 IS NOT A QUICK FIX----
-------Eleanor's VF-11 plant food it's all purpose VF-11 is absorbed through leaves as easily as roots. Vf-11 is Gentle ,odorless, won't stain, won't burn, non-toxic safe for children and pets, will not pollute our environment. I wash my plants in it, rinse leaves before putting down, i use it for rooting , and outside lawn and garden beds,
Great for new cuttings, Transplant, Hydroponics; VF-11 creates ' no toxic build up' & maintains a perfect ph ...
VF 11 is a health builder !! It strengthens the immune system, and also maintains perfect ph. Mildew and fungal diseases will disappear.Add VF-11 each time you water you house plants ...they need the ' trace elements'...
VF-11 is " COMPLETE FOOD"!!! Trace elements; Iron, manganese, copper, zinc, boron, molybdenum, plus calcium and magnesium..
Nitrogen,potassium, Phosphorous...Do not pre-judge the low formulation It is not a push NOr Bloom booster like other fertilizers. It's gentle health and strength builder ' !!
The Magic words that refer to Vf-11 are GENTLE_NON_TOXIC_NON_POLLUTING_ELECTROLYTE BALENCE_IMMEDIATELY AVAILABLE_ COMPLETLY IN SOLUTION_PERFECT PH -- And always remember VF-11 plant food wants to work alone _ Don't be adding Peter's and super with it~~
VF-11 is a strengthen the immune system of any plant, bush, tree..or lawn..It creates and maintains a perfect PH in the plant structure, therefore, mildew and fungal diseases actually will have difficulty "taking hold" in that perfect PH condition.
Plants especially Av's will burn from too much and the wrong kind of Nitrogen._Vf-11 is safe and will not burn your roots/plants... It is genital it's organic nature comes from its low toxicity.
Vf-11 is an ELECTROLYTE BALENCE of the micro and macro nutrients that make all plants, trees, bushes, and lawns perform like you've never seen before... I have used it for over 3 years and I am still excited about it..
It is a strength builder not a PUSH like other fertilizers..
VERY IMPORTANT
READ DIRECTIONS~
DO NOT USE VF-11 with other fertilizers!!! IT wants TO WORK ALONE !! Other fertilizer will interrupt it's perfection and you will also be over feeding your plants ~~Allison
All in sticky
Eleanor’s VF-11 Plant Food
email for free sample
http://www.vf-11plantfood.com/
Charley's
http://www.charleysgreenhouse.com/
Check out Tiger grown by leaf with just VF-11 .
This plant only around one year old at picture
http://groups.msn.com/TheVioletVoice/gamesandfun.msnw?action=get_message&mview=0&ID_Message=16436&LastModified=4675501161323552968&all_topics=1
24 inches across
Wow! I'm convinced! Calling her tomorrow about the sample!
bumping up info on VF-11