super grow

[encore]

I've got some super grow which is 10-54-10, that I used on the plants when they were small, and was wondering when and if I should use this anymore, I also use miracle gro for tomatoes both use 1 tbls. per gallon. pretty much the reasoning, is plants being in 6 gal. buckets and we just had 4 days of rain and wondering how much nutrients are being washed out the bottom and how to replace some of them. my original mix consisted of a combination of ----potting mipotting soil---mushroom compost----worm castings---some bone meal-- and some perlite. PH was just under the 7 mark at planting.----any thoughts or comments would be appreciated, thanks---tom

[encore]

how come every time I use an x I get the machine guns?

[digsdirt]

super grow which is 10-54-10, that I used on the plants when they were small, and was wondering when and if I should use this anymore, I also use miracle gro for tomatoes both use 1 tbls. per gallon. pretty much the reasoning, is plants being in 6 gal. buckets and we just had 4 days of rain and wondering how much nutrients are being washed out the bottom and how to replace some of them. my original mix consisted of a combination of ----potting mipotting soil---mushroom compost----worm castings---some bone meal-- and some perlite.

Sorry but to me it sounds as it you are heavily OVER-fertilizing your plants, especially with nitrogen and that often results in huge leafy plants with only minimal fruit set.

Granted in small 6 gallon containers nutes will leach out with watering and do so quickly which is one reason why using much larger containers is preferred. But it is a far more common practice to replace them in frequent LOW-dose feedings. A frequent recommendation is 1/4 to 1/2 strength when using Miracle Grow fed every 7-10 days. Super Grow would have to be even much more diluted.

Add to that the worm castings, mushroom compost, etc. and your levels are well beyond the normal needed range IMO.

Dave

PS: the machine guns are and x followed by 3 dashes. x alone does not equql mqchine guns

[encore]

ok thanks I haven't given the plants anything yet, since I've put them in the 6 gal. buckets, I only gave them the super grow once ,(and that was diluted) when they were still in 4 inch pots. do you think with the mix I have I should be good for a while without fertilizing?

[TightenUp]

test

[digsdirt]

do you think with the mix I have I should be good for a while without fertilizing? my original mix consisted of a combination of potting mix, potting soil, mushroom compost, worm castings, some bone meal, and some perlite.

Oh, that you hadn't given them anything yet wasn't at all clear from your first post. For future reference Super Grow is far, far too strong for young seedlings so if you are going to use it do it with great care.

Your container mix is quite different from the mixes normally used in containers so how well it will work with them all depends on several things. The percentage of compost for one. Both it and potting soil, in containers, are known to cause compaction and drainage issues. Especially the soil. The compost might help feed them IF there was an active soil micro-herd to digest it but that is seldom true in a container. The bone meal is no issue or benefit as it is vary slow-acting so won't have any effect this season. Perlite provides no nutrients. The potting mix might have had some nutrients in it but they are minimal. So that just leaves the worm castings and they are low-dose nitrogen mostly.

So given that I would think they would require, as I said above, regular low-dose supplements every 7-10 days like most do with containers. Since you have the Miracle Grow for Tomatoes use that. Just dilute it to 1/2 strength max and give it to them every 7-10 days for starters and see how it goes. With only 6 gallon containers and their need for frequent watering you might want to consider diluting it to 1/4 strength and giving it to them about every 3rd watering.

Dave

[pauldavid]

Originally Posted by encore

how come every time I use an x I get the machine guns?

I kind of like it, its becoming your trademark. Just kidding!

[zipcode]

10-54-10 is very unbalanced. Too much P, especially since P doesn't leach easily. They say that for seedling P is good (most requirement for P is early in the life of the plant), which is probably true, so it did it's job.
So now that they are bigger up just use the miracle grow.

[Bipetual]

Encore, maybe you should change your username to Rambo?

Just teasing!

[encore]

lol can see I'm not going to get away from that machine gun ! lol