Fertilizer injector

elight · February 21, 2018

I really want to add some sort of decent fertilizer injector into my drip system this year. In the past, I've used an Add-It injector but have found that it is clunky (difficult to fill, small tank, and not adjustable).

I was considering an EZ-Flo system but have read some bad things (mostly in a GardenWeb thread) about their claims being incorrect. The system does not deliver a constant application rate but rather a variable rate that changes as the fertilizer is diluted over time. This seems silly and potentially harmful.

I've been looking at Venturi-style injectors, but find them to be pretty complicated. There are some cheap ones on Amazon, like this: http://a.co/fib7raS

It seems like I just screw it in, between the timer and other stuff on the main line, and then drop the intake into a bucket filled with whatever fertilizer I want (likely diluted greatly so that it will fill a bucket). But I understand that you need to really have an understanding of the inlet and outlet pressures and flow rates, which I do not. (I have 10 container plants on adjustable drippers so I could figure it out.)

Just curious if anyone else has been successful with a similar type of system. I'm really tired of using a water can.

Cole_Robbie · February 21, 2018

I had an EZ Flow. It worked, but it was annoying. The tank would always fall over on its own. I had to make a bracket to mount it, so it was not as portable as I had hoped. I left water in it in the sun one summer and it split up the side of the tank from the pr

The "venturi" type siphon injectors are very simple, and most of them are cheap. They are specific to flow rate, though. My high tunnel drip tape was, if I remember correctly, about 1.5 GPM and I never could find a siphon injector to work at a rate that low. I could only get the injector to work if I hung the bucket of fertilizer eight feet or so in the air, to make some pressure to feed it into the line.

You will need a reliable ppm meter if you want to test how your injector is working. Based on the way my plants have looked after giving them too strong of fertilizer, the stuff comes out in higher doses closer to the injector, which is not how it is supposed to work. My drip tape was under plastic, so I did not dig it up to test it with a ppm meter.

elight · February 21, 2018

My adjustable drippers can put out a lot more GPM than a drip tape, but I think the point remains that all of these options are each way too simplistic or way too complicated. It's disappointing that there is not a quality consumer product on the market that can accomplish this seemingly straightforward task.

So, do you just fertilize the old fashioned way? FWIW, I also can't find a watering can that works well!

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Cole_Robbie · February 22, 2018

Most of my plants are in the ground. After I improved the soil substantially, I stopped being able to use any chemical fertilizers without burning.

There are high-end injectors that run $300-500, like the Dosatron or Dosmatic, which may be what is required to do what you ask.

As for watering containers, I prefer bottom-watering.

AKmark · February 22, 2018

Spend the money on a Dosatron, they are very accurate, very dependable, you could not give me other brands for free.

elight · February 22, 2018

I wish I could justify the expense right now. Oh well, guess it's back to the watering can for me (although I need a new one of those, too!).

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dfollett · February 23, 2018

Quote:

Originally Posted by elight

I wish I could justify the expense right now. Oh well, guess it's back to the watering can for me (although I need a new one of those, too!).

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Reading this reminded me of a previously life and something I have in the garage left over from that life. I used to raise lots of critters for a living and had a Dosatron injector for injecting antibiotics and disinfectants into feed and water.

There was a time I was going to sell it on ebay, but never did. At this point, I'd just as soon see someone use it as have it sit in my garage. It is old - from the early 90s, but it worked perfectly the last time I used it - 1998. If my memory serves me, I paid somewhere around $700 for it over 25 years ago. It may be too big for what you need, but maybe not. I had it installed in 1 1/2" water line.

If it would be of value, I'd ship it to anyone who would pay the shipping cost. I didn't do anything to pretty it up - just moved it enough to take this picture. They are well made.

elight · March 4, 2018

I finally settled on the EZ-Flo injector. After reading some poor reviews, I decided that so long as my expectations were within the range of its stated capabilities, it could work well.

Question: how much fertilizer per plant should I plan on for each week? I am using Dyna-Gro Foliage Pro (will eventually switch to TTF). The label is all over the place, suggesting anything from 1/4 tsp per gallon for "maintenance" to a 1:15 ratio for a siphon mixer. Well that's different by a factor of 200!

Currently, I figured that I would previously mix a tsp per gallon for a watering can and water each plant with a gallon each week, so I used 13 tsp (corresponding to my 13 plants) in the mixing tank, with a flow setting so that it will empty in a little under a week.

If anyone has any recommendations or references for application rates in this type of scenario, please let me know!

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February 21, 2018	#1
elight Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Allentown, PA Posts: 349	Fertilizer injector I really want to add some sort of decent fertilizer injector into my drip system this year. In the past, I've used an Add-It injector but have found that it is clunky (difficult to fill, small tank, and not adjustable). I was considering an EZ-Flo system but have read some bad things (mostly in a GardenWeb thread) about their claims being incorrect. The system does not deliver a constant application rate but rather a variable rate that changes as the fertilizer is diluted over time. This seems silly and potentially harmful. I've been looking at Venturi-style injectors, but find them to be pretty complicated. There are some cheap ones on Amazon, like this: http://a.co/fib7raS It seems like I just screw it in, between the timer and other stuff on the main line, and then drop the intake into a bucket filled with whatever fertilizer I want (likely diluted greatly so that it will fill a bucket). But I understand that you need to really have an understanding of the inlet and outlet pressures and flow rates, which I do not. (I have 10 container plants on adjustable drippers so I could figure it out.) Just curious if anyone else has been successful with a similar type of system. I'm really tired of using a water can.

February 21, 2018	#2
Cole_Robbie Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Illinois, zone 6 Posts: 8,407	I had an EZ Flow. It worked, but it was annoying. The tank would always fall over on its own. I had to make a bracket to mount it, so it was not as portable as I had hoped. I left water in it in the sun one summer and it split up the side of the tank from the pr The "venturi" type siphon injectors are very simple, and most of them are cheap. They are specific to flow rate, though. My high tunnel drip tape was, if I remember correctly, about 1.5 GPM and I never could find a siphon injector to work at a rate that low. I could only get the injector to work if I hung the bucket of fertilizer eight feet or so in the air, to make some pressure to feed it into the line. You will need a reliable ppm meter if you want to test how your injector is working. Based on the way my plants have looked after giving them too strong of fertilizer, the stuff comes out in higher doses closer to the injector, which is not how it is supposed to work. My drip tape was under plastic, so I did not dig it up to test it with a ppm meter.

February 22, 2018	#4
Cole_Robbie Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Illinois, zone 6 Posts: 8,407	Most of my plants are in the ground. After I improved the soil substantially, I stopped being able to use any chemical fertilizers without burning. There are high-end injectors that run $300-500, like the Dosatron or Dosmatic, which may be what is required to do what you ask. As for watering containers, I prefer bottom-watering.

February 22, 2018	#5
AKmark Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Wasilla Alaska Posts: 2,010	Spend the money on a Dosatron, they are very accurate, very dependable, you could not give me other brands for free.

March 4, 2018	#8
elight Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Allentown, PA Posts: 349	I finally settled on the EZ-Flo injector. After reading some poor reviews, I decided that so long as my expectations were within the range of its stated capabilities, it could work well. Question: how much fertilizer per plant should I plan on for each week? I am using Dyna-Gro Foliage Pro (will eventually switch to TTF). The label is all over the place, suggesting anything from 1/4 tsp per gallon for "maintenance" to a 1:15 ratio for a siphon mixer. Well that's different by a factor of 200! Currently, I figured that I would previously mix a tsp per gallon for a watering can and water each plant with a gallon each week, so I used 13 tsp (corresponding to my 13 plants) in the mixing tank, with a flow setting so that it will empty in a little under a week. If anyone has any recommendations or references for application rates in this type of scenario, please let me know! Sent from my ONEPLUS A5000 using Tapatalk