All-purpose fertilizers

[i luv gardening!]

If you use an all-purpose fertilizer on your plants & shrubs, which one do you use?

 

[Chuck]

If you use an all-purpose fertilizer on your plants & shrubs, which one do you use?

A non-chemical one

 

[Carolyn]

If you can build up some compost you almost won't need fertilizer. You can just sprinkle the compost on the soil every couple of months.

 

[i luv gardening!]

Good ideas, thanks.

 

[Chuck]

Good ideas, thanks.

To multiply compost 10 fold make compost tea. Compost tea and especially aerated tea is simple to do, cheap and the results will be astounding. To learn how go to the organic forum on this site.

 

[i luv gardening!]

Thanks, I'll check it out.

 

[headfullofbees]

Thanks, I'll check it out.

Chuck's right, you're soil almost becomes compost.
I've used it for years, and I swear by actively aerated compost tea.

 

[AbundantBlooms]

I use well rotted compost and manure. That's it. I mulch with it in the fall and sometimes in the spring.

 

[JoshPosh]

I use the water from my fish tank. Keeping it as natural as possible.

 

[i luv gardening!]

Wow, that's an interesting one! Thanks.

 

[David Wechsler]

Another alternative to fertilizer, and a booster to manure teas or other sources of beneficial microbes is using electricity in your garden.

It has been observed over hundreds of years that lightning storms have a beneficial effect on plant life - making plants grow faster, larger, increasing yield, and gaming a more vibrant look after exposure to natural atmospheric electricity. Instead of waiting for the next thunderstorm, your can add some low-levels amounts of electricity into your garden, in the range of 1-5 volts and see some amazing improvements.

For example, I have some friends growing tomatoes, and they have achieved gains of just over 50% in weight 2 seasons in a row, and for the indeterminate variety, they were able to start harvesting 3 weeks earlier than their non-electrified tomatoes. They were using 5 volts DC from an old cell phone charger.

 

[i luv gardening!]

Can you tell me more? Like exactly how it's done.

 

[David Wechsler]

Sure, in its simplest form, you would find a source of power, like a low-voltage cell phone charger or perhaps a battery or two wired up and placed into a weatherproof container. You will attach wires to the power supplies and connect them to pieces of metal, preferably iron, into the ground on either side of your garden or grow-area. Then just wait a bit and you should start seeing positive changes within 1-2 weeks.

One caveat, there are some dependencies between different plants and the amounts of electricity they need to thrive... As such, I would stick with lower voltages if possible, as it is less likely to over-stimulate the plants. Alternatively, you can place your garden circuit onto a timer and try out different settings.

 

[i luv gardening!]

I'm not very good with such things, but the old man is. He'll love this. Thanks for the input.