Billy wrote:
Higgs Boson wrote:
I just spent (too much) on 4 boxes of E.B.Stone Organics fertilizer
for different uses. Examining the formulae on each box, I wondered if
there is really enough difference to justify separate purchases.
....
Chemical fertilizers either quickly concentrate nitrogen in fast growing
soft leaves of the plant, which attract insects, or runs off as
pollutants with rains or irrigation, and fouls the local water table.

Billy, you missed, "organics fertilizer" in
the description.

Higgs, is there a pH adjustment needed?

sulfur is ok for some acid loving plantings,
but i wouldn't just scatter it on everything.
in sandy loam, good topsoil or garden soil it
may form sulfuric acid which can leach nutrients.

otherwise, i didn't see much of a difference
between a few of those formulas, but perhaps the
box contains different application rates (and the
other ingredients remain unspecified)? if they
are using the common wisdom the perennial mixes
should be infused with beneficial fungal species
and the annual and veggie mixes would favor
beneficial bacterial species.

i don't supplement any plantings with commercial
fertilizers any longer. i add worms and worm
castings for the heaviest feeding annuals and
veggies and then rotational plant the following
seasons to different crops. for the perennials
they may get a top dressing with a green manure
and other mulches. the lack of $ spent on such
additional fertilizers is well worth the added
time i have to spend cutting green manures or
feeding the worms. i have the time, i don't have
the $.


songbird