Fertilizer question

[smackem]

ok I transplanted my plants saturday. today monday I took a 2 gallon watering can and I put 1/2 teaspoon of miracle grow for veggies and just a drop of Super thrive. I waterd all the plants nicely they should be fine correct? I know since they just had a transplant they are not super strong but I figured I would increase the dosage every week? what do you all think?

[gumbo2176]

Smackem, go to the Composting part of this Forum and check out "Compost Tea". Interesting read, easy to do and very beneficial to the garden. I've been doing this since I first read about it and I feel it has helped my garden grow much better.

[jal_ut]

"what do you all think?"

If you are using Miracle Grow, follow the directions on the package. If you use too much you may kill your plants with kindness.

[TZ -OH6]

Weekly use of miracle grow type fertilizer may be too much, especially with a small plant that cannot use very much. The fertilizer will just build up in the soil and then cause rapid growth and low fruit count when the plant gets larger.

[rainbowgardener]

Agree with above... I only use compost and compost tea, but if you are going to use MG, twice a month is PLENTY and less when plants are small.

[tedln]

In order to avoid chemical fertilizers, I am experiment this winter with fortifying my soil with easily available and inexpensive organic products.

While I have compost available, I want to determine if alternatives exist for people who do not or have not created a compost pile.

I purchased the following from Farm and Ranch supply stores.

Organic based fertilizer. https://bluebonnetfeeds.com/viewproduct.php?id=95
Dried Molasses, and Alfalfa pellets. The products come in 50 lb bags.

My beds already have a lot of organic material in the soil so I am only experimenting to see if the dried molasses and alfalfa pellets in coffee can quantities, mixed to four inch depths will increase bacteria and earthworm activity through the winter. My hope is increased bacteria activity due to the molasses will create humis and release available minerals for plant growth. The alfalfa pellets are intended to provide attractive organics to increase earthworm activity resulting in more worm castings in the soil. The organic fertilizer is intended for side dressing if any of my crops start displaying signs of nitrogen deficiency.

I am treating each bed slightly different to determine if it helps and the proper concentration of each amendment.

Ted

[Bobberman]

ok I transplanted my plants saturday. today monday I took a 2 gallon watering can and I put 1/2 teaspoon of miracle grow for veggies and just a drop of Super thrive. I waterd all the plants nicely they should be fine correct? I know since they just had a transplant they are not super strong but I figured I would increase the dosage every week? what do you all think?

I would use a very small amount of miracle deluted solution about 1 /4 what you are using and spray the plants twice a week so the leaves absorb the soltion and get a good start!

[garden5]

Agree with all of the above.

I, personally, am organic and choose not to use chemical fertilizers. These are commonly salt-based and, in the long-term, are detrimental to soil biology and soil health. As Gumbo suggested, read the ACT thread in the "Compost" forum. It elaborates on this subject much more (yeah, it's a long thread, but it holds a lot of great information).

If you want to go the MG route, go easy on it. If the plants are just transplanted, you may even want to use less than the packaging recommends. Once they larger and approach the flowering stage, you might want to cut it out completely.