For those of you who use Dynamite Ferilizer:
Dynamite is a time released fertilizer that also contains the micronutrients than plants need. I went into Big Lots and they were having a clearance on their garden products. Dynamite normally sells for $5.00 which itself is a good price and it was marked down 30 percent. I was able to pick up the 2 pound containers for $3.50 each. This is the six month formula. Home Depot sells a nine month formula that retails for about $9.00.
Dynamite Fertilizer
I buy it in the 50 lb bags for about $ 50. If you can find it that size, you will really save some money. I use Multicote-but I think they are very similar.
Joe-what is the ratio of nitrate nitrogen to ammonical/urea on that label? I am always looking for a higher ratio of nitrate in the slow release and it isn't easy!
Tigerlily, there are two formulas 13-13-13, which is 6.5% ammoniacal nitrogen and 6.5% nitrate nitrogen and 18-6-8 which is 8.5% ammoniacal nitrogen and 9.4% nitrate nitrogen.
I do not know of any place in our area where you can buy the 50 pound bag and even with the number of plumerias and other plants I have, it would take a while for me to use that much.
Tigerlily, I have a question for you. The label says it lasts up to six months. I think there is a big difference with someone who waters once or twice a week in a cooler climate and someone who waters daily in a hotter climate. Wouldn't you think the fertilizer would be used up faster by someonbe who waters daily? I add additional fertilizer more frequently than six months.
Joe-I don't have a total grip on slow release ferts like I do with liquid-which is what I fert the crops with, but I think it is easier to burn a plant with slow release than I originally thought-so its releasing-thats for sure! I have only done it with a few plants, but I keep it in mind when I apply it now.
I think a tablespoon per one gallon is the going rate for full strength, and I top dress it. I talked to the sales rep once about the leaching qualities of it and he said that it doesn't leach out-so watering it more would not decrease the amt of fert that you got (i.e-you would not use up more of it by watering more) .
I seem to have to water every container every day ( and I have many more palms and tropicals than plumerias) and they seem to be showing no signs of nutritional deficiencies so I am thinking that 1 tablespoon/gallon is ok. It is always tempting to add more fert-you know that saying " if one handful of fert is good, then 2 handfuls must be better" and then the plant dies?? lol I think that because of the special coatings that these high temp slow releases have (which is what makes them so expensive) that they don't release that much faster with more waterings. At any rate, I would try to err on the cautious side and see first if your plants are starting to present with low nitrogen on the leaves before you added more.
How do your plants look? Just keep an eye out for browning on the edges of the leaves-thats a good sign of chemical burn
I should add that if your plants went through a bunch of 3" rainstorms consistently throughout the 6 month period-that that would probably change the picture a bit-but I don't think watering every day would do it. All this talk of watering...I just wish I could have one of those storms!
Thanks for looking at the labels for me!
Tigerlily, last month I was in Chapel Hill helping my daughter to move to Jackson, MS. One day we visited the Botanical Gardens at Duke University. As we were walking through the gardens, all of a sudden we came upon two big plumerias in bloom. It was a pleasant surprise as I wasn't expecting to see them there.
The gardens were a worthwhile visit. They are beautiful.
Wow-that would be a surprise! Which gardens are you refering to exactly? the Sarah P. Duke gardens or a botanical garden directly on the campus? If you were on the campus or at the hospital area then you saw all my annuals that I grew-Duke is one of my customers-I do all the annuals for them for the campus/hospital. The duke gardens are separate from the university, and I have sold to them before but not now.
When a Dave's member came to visit me last fall, I took her to the grhouses at Duke (campus) and we got a personal tour-they had a lot of tropicals in there, but I don't remember seeing any plumerias in there ( I think they had brought all the tropicals back inside-if any were ever outside)
I didn't know there were two gardens. I think it may have been the Sarah P. Duke because it was donated by a member of the Duke family to honor her mother.
They had a terraced garden, a Japanese garden and there also was a pond that may have backed up to one of the hospitals. I am not sure. I remember they had some beautiful irises planted along the pond.
If I remember correctly the two plumerias were at the foot of the terraced garden in very large pots. They were beautiful and in full bloom. Apparently, they knew how to care for them.
Hetty, did you find the Dynamite fertilizer at the Big Lot in your area?
Joe
Well, I went to one of the Big Lots yeaterday in Phoenix . They didn't carry the fertilizer, but I picked up a very nice misting bottle for $4.00. It's small and puts out a very nice fine mist. It was great to use as I put S+G on my plants. I find that the Hudson type sprayers can get a bit too heavy.
Mickey
Whaa Whoo...just called my local one and they have it...going there straight after work!!