Fertilizers...

[AmyRey]

Yesterday, I put another dose of fish emulsion fertilizer on my broccoli, lettucs, peas and carrots. It stinks, (blech) but my plants sure do love it.

I should have picked one plant to fertilize with Miracle-Gro just for comparison but alas... I didn't.

Has anyone here done such an experiment? How does fish emulsion compare to Miracle-Gro and the like?

 

[digitS']

I do a comparison every year, AmyRey. Except, it is Miracle-Gro on the ornamentals and fish emulsion on some of my veggies.

I'd rather keep the comparison like that. Ounce for ounce: 24-8-16 Miracle-Gro and 5-1-1 Alaska Fish Emulsion . . .

This year, I probably used less of each and concentrated more on getting fertilizer in the soil. Nevertheless, foliar fertilizers have their place in the garden. They can give the plants a short-term boost just at a time when they most benefit - - while they are actively growing. I like to use either fertilizer at least twice about a week apart.

Just my observation - - the plants that can hold moisture on their leaves for some time seem to benefit most from these fertilizers. I never saw much benefit in corn and onions, for instance, when I've used them there. Tomatoes, on the other hand, get all "charged up" if you can sprinkle fish emulsion all over them about 3 times in a month.

I wish the emulsion was easier to use. I seem to work pretty hard filling a 2 gallon sprinkler can and running thru 60+ plants repeatedly, repeatedly, repeatedly . . .

Steve

edited to change the word "spray" to "sprinkle," since that's what I'm doing with fish emulsion . . . I'll leave the words "running thru" however . . .

 

[AmyRey]

Yes, I have been mixing in a watering can, then giving the soil underneath a good soaking.

Am I using it correctly? Or should I be dousing the leaves as well?

 

[digitS']

It depends on how much of the stuff you are willing to use.

They are considered foliar fertilizers, tho'.

Steve