Vegetables Gardening - Growing Organic Vegetables

It seems the fertilizer "know-it-alls" aren't very helpful when it comes to questions. I have had more than one person, in my inquiries, tell me that the amounts of N-P-K I put down don't matter. Today, a man said "whatever ratio you use, the plants will benefit". (!!!OH really?#@!) I don't know enough yet to rebut the claims, so can you give me the reason we hope to achieve a 110-60-110 ratio so I can tell them a thing or two?

I did find 13-13-13 fertilizer of which I could add my 10 ounce micro-nutrient package...but only in 50# bags. All of the farmers are telling me that 1/2 a bag of 13-13-13 is still 13%. I am not getting it. I thought if there were 13# in 100# it would break down to 3.25# in 25#. Is that still 13-13-13? And adequate for my fertilizer recipe?

Next question...website FAQ suggested as an alternative "find 21-0-0 (ammonium sulfate), and 0-45-0 (triple super phosphate), and 0-0-50 (potassium sulfate)." Doesn't ammonium sulfate lower the PH. I live in a 20+ rainfall area and plan to use Agricultural lime. Do I increase this to account for ammonium sulfate if I go that route?

I am reading my materials and really learning a bunch, but spring has almost sprung and my fertilizer education is lacking.

Help....linda

Linda & Group:

The amounts of fertilizer used "MATTER" a great deal - for several reasons, including:
1. Fertilizer costs money, and it is a shame to waste.
2. Over-use can cause one or more of the following 3 problems:
A. Toxicity to the plants from too much of a specific element
B. Salinity, which can kill the plant from too much salt
C. Excess salts leaching into the ground-water hurting environ.

The reason the "2-1-2" ratio is the preferred NPK mix (which Dr. M refined to 110-60-110) is that plants only use about 1/2 the amount of phosphorus that they do of the other two.

The three numbers on the fertilizer bag represent the %'s of each in the mix, so yes 100# bag of 13-13-13 will have 13# of each of the "big three".

If you take 25# of that it will still be 13% of each of the three.

If your store has 50# bags, simply mix BOTH packets of Micro-Nutrients into the total bag, and add 8# of Epsom Salts.

To keep it from getting wet - because Epsom Salt is 7 parts WATER for each 1 part magnesium - I recommend you mix a pound of PERLITE into your 60# of Weekly Feed. Perlite can absorb many times its weight of water, and also help keep the fertilizer from clumping up. If it DOES get wet, don't worry, as it's still good to use. But it just is not as EASY to use.

You are generally better off to use Urea, rather than ammonium sulfate, when you receive more than 20" of annual rainfall.

Jim Kennard

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