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Is this fert gonna work?

obregon562

Two flies one pitcher. Minus the crap eating.
Supporter
Hey guys,

I got a late x-mas present of...drum roll please...4 WHOPPING POUNDS OF ALL-PURPOSE PLANT FOOD! All right!

Anyway, i was wondering if i could safely use it on some of my plants. It's 5-5-5-7 NPKCa, and has a whole bunch of Bacilius and Ecto/Endo Mycorrhizae spores.

I wanted to use it on the following:
Seqouia seedling
Dragonfrui cacti
Cymbidium orchid
Potatoes
Mints

Let me know what you think, and thanks!
Frankie
 
At 5-5-5 it sounds like it would be pretty easy going (non burning), what is the Nitrogen content made up of, Urea or Ammonia? Urea requires microbes to convert it to available Nitrogen, so that type of fertilizer is harder on plants in sterile (non-soil) media. However, you said this feed also contains microbes. Whether the microbes will stay in sterile media long term I don't know. Perhaps it won't matter if every feeding adds more microbes...?

I've never seen a 4 digit NPK code, the 7 is the Ca I assume. I don't know if that would disqualify it for acid or at least neutral loving plants - that Orchid might not go for it at all if the Ca is very high which maybe could (??) change the Ph and hardness of the water. I've never seen such a fertilizer as that, what's it called? Who makes it? If you have a fish tank and the affiliated test kits, might try a Ph test on your water and then again after this fertilizer is blended in to see if it changes drastically towards alkaline.

Even though you didn't ask, I always use Gro More brand Urea Free fertilizer (Bloom & Grow oriented feeds) on my plants. Since it's made for use on sterile media like orchid bark, lava rock, LFS and foliar feeding on cork bark mounts it doesn't require soil microbes to break down the fertilizer salts into usable Nitrogen. It's "immediately available" according to the label and contains a grocery list of trace elements/micro nutrients. I have some plants in normal soil too but since I'm rather lazy, these two fertilizers that I can use for everybody is the way to go for me! :D
 
it calls the Nitrogen "Water insoluable organic nitrogen". Oh. :p

Yeah, the Ca is calcium. 7%. Theres also 1% of sulfur. It isnt directly called a 5-5-5-7 or whatever, but the analysis shows you the break down and its 5-5-5-7-1. It also mentions there is 1.3% humic acids derived from leonardite...

It is an E.B Stone Organic box from Armstrongs. They describe it as "our 100% natural, organic fertilizer that is blended with humic acid and beneficial soil microbes, including mycorrhizae for long-lasting soil health and plant success."

Thanks for your help,
Frankie
 
I guess the only thing I might not risk it on is the Orchid. Taters and what not might not care so much, but I don't know, having never grown anything edible / consumable (to humans at least).

I tried growing some of those Dragon Fruits but the cuttings never rooted after several months so I chucked em, how's yours doing? Ever see a bloom/fruit from it yet?
 
If any one has any other advice please lemme know. but if not ill just test it out. I always pot a few extras in their own pots for just a case like this! ;)

You should really try growing edible things. Theyre the best! The taste difference is insane. My "catch phrase" used to be "I grow plants that eat, and plants to eat." :D

My Hylocerus undatus "Purple Haze" is only ~6', but i have a few others that have exploded and bloom/fruit everywhere. Im really suprised people dont do more with these in the floral/culinary industries. The flowers are dinner plate-size, cream-yellow and pure white, and are the sweetest thing ive ever smelled. So nice. And the fruit...MMM!!! They are like red, spiky hand grenades that taste (to me) like stawberry-grape-kiwi-melons. And the seeds add a delicous crunch. Its such a great plant.
 
Oh, I've looked into edibles but I'm attracted to the weird stuff, the 6 foot diameter cabbages, the 2 lb purple carrots, 20+ ft tall corn. The freak stuff! :D

I don't have any actual land so that limits me to what can fit in a terrarium or two in my condo. In summer I have the run of the sidewalk/planting area but everything has to be in containers so I just do Datura's and other annuals that make a nice smell. I love the sickeningly sweet scent of Datura, it always smells like a fresh bowl of Fruit Loops to me. This year I'm growing some Nicotinia alata or "Jasmine Tobbacco", these are supposed to grow fast and bloom with the spicy jasmine smell. I didn't wanna do Datura's this year cos my new downstairs neighbor has a toddler, I can just see her sneaking off and munching a handful of Datura seeds or a few flowers, which would be bad news for anybody but especially a baby.
 
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