In article ,
songbird wrote:

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

Bird, I wasn't addressing myself to our local IDF representative, but to
David E. Ross' reply. I was just running the numbers for my tomato
amendments when I saw his response. I thought it was pretty neat that
using the recommended amount of chicken manure, also gave me more than
the amount of phosphorous that I needed.

Recommended N: 125 -250 lbs / acre

125 lbs/ acre = 43,560 sq.ft.

0.002869605142332 lbs/sq.ft.

1.302800734618916 g / sq.ft.
13.02800734618916 g / 10 sq.ft.

Chicken manure N =1.1

1.1g / 100g = 13g / x

xg / 13g = 100g / 1.1g

x = 1182 g or 2.6 lbs of Chicken manure per 10 sq. ft.

Since 125 -250 lbs were called for per acre
10 sq.ft. will require 2.6 - 5.2 lbs of chicken manure/ 10 sq. ft.



Recommended P: 60 - 120 lbs / acre
approx. = 1.3 - 2.6 lbs / 10 sq. ft.
Chicken manure P = .8

Weight of chicken manure for N = 2.6 to 5.2 lbs
(2.6 to 5.2 lbs) X the proportion of .8/1.1 = 1.9 to 3.8 lbs of chicken
manure.
[1.1 %N, and .8 %P]



Recommended K: 0 - 120 lbs / acre
approx. = 0 - 2.6 lbs / 10 sq. ft.
Chicken manure K = .5




I've already prepped 2 beds, but I did it by eye-ball, which I find is
an untrustworthy approach. I used most of a 1 cu. ft. bag of chicken
manure for just 36 sq. ft. Now I need to go get a second bag for the
other bed. For the prepped beds, I'll need to be diligent with the fish
emulsion in order to compensate.

Well, back to thinkin' about workin'.

--
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http://www.rachelcorrie.org/

Welcome to the New America.
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