On Mon, 06 Dec 2004 04:44:35 GMT, (Steve) wrote:

I have been looking for a good fertilizer tablet and have seen many
different formulations. Does anyone have any recommendation or
preferences?

I also saw one that claimed to last for the whole growing season. I
wondered if any one here has tried one like that.

I am in zone 6 and have lotus, hardy and tropical lillies, pickerel,
parrot feather, thalia, and a few other misc plants.

I have tried several brands with controlled experiments on how well
they dissolve...

Plantabbs Pondtabbs and Pond Life ShowLilies seem identical in
appearance and label analysis. They dissolve completely leaving the
water clear. I use these - whichever I can find at the best price.

AgSafe Aquatic Tabs dissolved the least completely leaving lot of
solids in the test container.

Jungle Aquatic Plant food also left solids, clouded the water the
most, and developed a scum film and mold on the water surface in the
test container. Fertilizer tabs stored in sealed container with
dessicant nonetheless turned to powder in less than a year.

Haven't tried the whole-growing-season kind. I did fertilize six of
my 7 hardies with one tablet per gallon of container each month last
season. The 7th lily I fertilized very little - and it really showed.
That lily grew much smaller than the rest and shrunk back sooner than
the rest at the end of the season.

Steve J. Noll | Ventura California
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