Taiji
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Joined: Fri Oct 05, 2012 3:19 am
Location: Gardening in western U.P. of MI. 46+ N. lat. elev 1540. zone 3; state bird: mosquito

Uses of Bone Meal

A few days ago I got a good buy on a large bag of bone meal. If I'm remembering right(ly) bone meal is especially good for root crops? Are there other plants bone meal especially helps? Tomatoes maybe?

imafan26
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Joined: Tue Jan 01, 2013 8:32 am
Location: Hawaii, zone 12a 587 ft elev.

Bone meal is mostly phosphorus and it has a small amount of nitrogen. Phosphorus is an essential element, however, you should have your soil tested to see how much you need. You can have too much phosphorus which can leach out and be harmful to the environment. Phosphorus is less available in alkaline soils and is mostly bound. High levels of phosphorus can decrease the availability of iron and zinc when acid loving plants are grown in neutral to alkaline soils.

In all manner of things, moderation is the key. More is not better and it is best to get a soil test to see how much you really need.

ButterflyLady29
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Location: central Ohio

I've read that it's good for mandevilla bloom production. I bought some just to try it. My mandevillas didn't start blooming until late summer.

imafan26
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Location: Hawaii, zone 12a 587 ft elev.

Around here mandevilas are seasonal bloomers and don't bloom until summer anyway.

ButterflyLady29
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Location: central Ohio

Summer would be ok. September and October not ok. And even then they had only a few blooms. The first year I had them they were covered with blooms. These plants are in pots and must have used up all the nutrients that first year. I'll try it and see what happens. I got some on deep end of year clearance discount in October so I have a bunch on hand.

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Gary350
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Location: TN. 50 years of gardening experience.

It is best not to fertilize all the soil in the whole garden that will feed the weeds and grass too. I am very stingy with fertilizer making sure to know what each plant likes best and put a little on certain plants.



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