DEFICIENCIES IN THE SOIL

Most gardeners are aware that Nitrogen deficiencies can cause stunted or deficient growth, or that a lack of Iron shows up with poorly colored foliage. Less well known are the facts that sulfur and manganese deficiencies are serious issues in the Pacific Northwest. Fritted trace elements FTE used to be available locally and would correct all of these issues. I would add one pound of it to a fifty pound of 5-10-10 and away I would go.

Speaking of that formula, locally we can buy two forms of it. One includes extra Iron and the other has more Sulfur. In autumn we should use the latter. Sulfur is an element that is important for disease control in plants, be it in lawns or in plants. I would use the other in the summer months on vegetables and fruit.

Minor (read minor) trace elements are important for healthy growth; sometimes organics can provide the same.

SOME RECOMMENDATIONS – and NOT!

Bone meal. This is a very slow acting fertilizer and is dependent upon soil temperatures for release. In the Pacific Northwest, I find it to be an expensive fertilizer dollar for dollar. For bulbs, maybe. Mixing with other stuff in a liquid form is another story. Use gloves, as with all organics, esp. bat guano.

Blood meal. Use gloves when handling. It is a quick acting organic fertilizer, great for lawns. Follow the recommended instructions and use at half strength on Bonsai.

Hoof and Horn was my all-time favorite in Santa Cruz. Like Bone meal it is a slow release fertilizer and provides Nitrogen and phosphorus as well as a few other trace elements. Use gloves when handling. I do not even know it this is still marketed!

Kelp meal, be it in liquid form or solid. Sometimes sold in a tablet form. I use it all the time ad it is well balanced and provides trace materials.

Epson salts, or Sulfate of Magnesium. In the Pacific Northwest our soils often have
magnesium deficiencies. This is even more remarked on artificial soils such as for
Bonsai or Orchid culture. Adding a small amount of dry Epsom salt in October is just the thing to prevent future loss of color in the leaves. It can also be added to an organic cocktail at half a tsp. per gallon. I usually mix cottonseed, bone meal,
Kelp, blood meal, fish meal in a gallon of water. Let stew for a day and then dilute that down to a pint of concentrate to a gallon. One Tbs. of ea. of the above ingredients.

Liquid Manure or Liquid worm casting tea. This is an old tried and true material. Steep the material in a bucket of water for a few days, drain and dilute to a weak straw color mixture. This like all fertilizers should only be applied to plants AFTER watering. This is a natural and wonderful fertilizer and provides for healthy soil bacteria, which chemicals do not. Rhodies and Azaleas love this!

Oxygen Plus. Unlike some other miracle hyped products like Super Thrive, this product does deliver, especially on root-rotted plants.

Vitamin B-!. Yes and No. Like rooting hormones, always examine the percentage of active ingredient. I am amazed at the differences (sometimes 10 fold) between different products. Monsanto and Roundup are a good?? Example: I have stopped counting the different formalizations, but often as not the worst price values are the ones that market the best.

Liquinox — A commercial fertilizer that comes in many formulas. A Wunderkind of fertilizers. Is it better than Peters or Miracle Grow? Your guess is as good as mine.

I will edit chemical fertilizers when I have the time.

(copyright) 2009 Herb Senft

Labels: chemical fertilizers, organic fertilizers, soil deficiencies