Best fertilizer to use??

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Hey Guys! I live in a small apartment and for a few years now in the summer months I have been trying to grow select plants off my balcony. I have had success each time I have tried to grow things but I do think that my vegetables should be growing to a little bit of a bigger size. I have always had trouble knowing which fertilizers work and which ones don't so if you guys have any recommendations on fertilizer that has worked best for your vegetables success, I would love to hear!
 
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Hey Guys! I live in a small apartment and for a few years now in the summer months I have been trying to grow select plants off my balcony. I have had success each time I have tried to grow things but I do think that my vegetables should be growing to a little bit of a bigger size. I have always had trouble knowing which fertilizers work and which ones don't so if you guys have any recommendations on fertilizer that has worked best for your vegetables success, I would love to hear!
Make your own organically. Use compost tea and put additives in it like blood meal, fish emulsion, bonemeal and molasses and a host of other things. Disregard what others say on this forum about it having a foul odor. It won't happen it you make actively aerated tea. Just dump a bunch of stuff into a bucket of water without aerating it and it will stink to high heaven. Doing it correctly it actually has a pleasant aroma.
 
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I think, being realistic, you're not going to have much storage room, if you only have a balcony for growing your plants.
With this in mind, I'd stick to fish, blood and bone, which is a good all-round organic fertiliser, and maybe some unsulphured molasses.

If you had more room, my answer would be the same as Chuck's.
 
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Hey Guys! I live in a small apartment and for a few years now in the summer months I have been trying to grow select plants off my balcony. I have had success each time I have tried to grow things but I do think that my vegetables should be growing to a little bit of a bigger size. I have always had trouble knowing which fertilizers work and which ones don't so if you guys have any recommendations on fertilizer that has worked best for your vegetables success, I would love to hear!
I would say son't worry as much about the fertilizer as much as the soil you are growing your plants in. You are able to have great control over your soil because you are gardening in containers. If you start with a healthy base soil of organic compost and feed periodically with a good organic compost or fertilizer you should have wonderful healthy plants and crops that are healthy for you to eat as well. Good luck!
 
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It's always best to build up the nutrients in the soil rather than add fertilizer when the plants are already growing. Try mixing in good compost with your potting soil. There are some pretty natural fertilizers you can use if you already have things growing that need to be fertilized, but they don't smell so great, so just be aware. My mom used a fish fertilizer, but I can't remember what it was called. It only stinks right when you are watering with it, then it goes away.
 
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I feel that the natural verses the chemical fertilizers are best. They make the food taste better to me plus there is less chance of "frying" your plant. With natural fertilizers they tend to be gentler on the plant and absorb better into the roots. Maybe mix a little into some water when watering it to dilute it down a bit so that it is not so strong on the plant.
 
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Thanks for your advice guys! I will definitely be buying better quality soil and using your suggestions! @kevinkimers One of my main problems last year was my plants frying so I will definitely be choosing only the natural fertilizers, thanks for that advice! I also read that coffee grinds was really good in the soil also. Being an everyday coffee drinker this is beneficial. Have any of you heard of or tried this also? Will be looking into more information on it!
 

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