I was at Wal-Mart earlier, about to buy a bag of Howard Johnson
fertilizer, when I noticed that it had a "0" where the phosphorus number
used to be.

It also said something like "now more environmentally friendly, with
no phosphorus".

Now correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't phosphorus necessary for
flowering and fruit production?

I don't exactly apply this to my lawn - one bag lasted me 5 years the
last time, since I sparingly side dress my plants. However, I'm annoyed
that now the bag lacks one of what I consider the 3 most important parts
of a fertilizer.

In article , Ohioguy
wrote:

I was at Wal-Mart earlier, about to buy a bag of Howard Johnson
fertilizer, when I noticed that it had a "0" where the phosphorus number
used to be.

It also said something like "now more environmentally friendly, with
no phosphorus".

Now correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't phosphorus necessary for
flowering and fruit production?

In a lawn?

I don't exactly apply this to my lawn - one bag lasted me 5 years the
last time, since I sparingly side dress my plants. However, I'm annoyed
that now the bag lacks one of what I consider the 3 most important parts
of a fertilizer.

Could be that too much phosphate gets into our water ways, causing algal
blooms, which, when it decomposes, kills the critters in the water, or
the phosphorus flows to the ocean, where it does the same thing, and the
areas are called "dead zones".
--
- Billy
"Fascism should more properly be called corporatism because it is the
merger of state and corporate power." - Benito Mussolini.
http://www.democracynow.org/2010/7/2/maude
http://www.democracynow.org/2010/6/2...al_crime_scene

Billy wrote:
In article , Ohioguy
wrote:

I was at Wal-Mart earlier, about to buy a bag of Howard Johnson
fertilizer, when I noticed that it had a "0" where the phosphorus
number used to be.

It also said something like "now more environmentally friendly,
with no phosphorus".

Now correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't phosphorus necessary for
flowering and fruit production?

In a lawn?

I don't exactly apply this to my lawn - one bag lasted me 5 years
the last time, since I sparingly side dress my plants. However, I'm
annoyed that now the bag lacks one of what I consider the 3 most
important parts of a fertilizer.

Could be that too much phosphate gets into our water ways, causing
algal blooms, which, when it decomposes, kills the critters in the
water, or the phosphorus flows to the ocean, where it does the same
thing, and the areas are called "dead zones".

This is the case. It is also the case that runoff from excess nitrogenous
fertiliser creates many an algal bloom and mad growth of water plants
choking up waterways. Therefore the chemfert company should make their
stuff doubly environmentally friendly by taking out the N as well as the P.
It would save on production costs too. This is how to be mean and green.

David

In article ,
"David Hare-Scott" wrote:

Billy wrote:
In article , Ohioguy
wrote:

I was at Wal-Mart earlier, about to buy a bag of Howard Johnson
fertilizer, when I noticed that it had a "0" where the phosphorus
number used to be.

It also said something like "now more environmentally friendly,
with no phosphorus".

Now correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't phosphorus necessary for
flowering and fruit production?

In a lawn?

I don't exactly apply this to my lawn - one bag lasted me 5 years
the last time, since I sparingly side dress my plants. However, I'm
annoyed that now the bag lacks one of what I consider the 3 most
important parts of a fertilizer.

Could be that too much phosphate gets into our water ways, causing
algal blooms, which, when it decomposes, kills the critters in the
water, or the phosphorus flows to the ocean, where it does the same
thing, and the areas are called "dead zones".

This is the case. It is also the case that runoff from excess nitrogenous
fertiliser creates many an algal bloom and mad growth of water plants
choking up waterways. Therefore the chemfert company should make their
stuff doubly environmentally friendly by taking out the N as well as the P.
It would save on production costs too. This is how to be mean and green.

David

OK, let's call it what it is, nitrates,
the bane of the petroleum fed garden.

But, then we wouldn't have blue babies.
"Where's the fun in that", said Bevis to Butthead.
--
- Billy
"Fascism should more properly be called corporatism because it is the
merger of state and corporate power." - Benito Mussolini.
http://www.democracynow.org/2010/7/2/maude
http://www.democracynow.org/2010/6/2...al_crime_scene

In article
,
Billy wrote:

In article ,
"David Hare-Scott" wrote:

Billy wrote:
In article , Ohioguy
wrote:

I was at Wal-Mart earlier, about to buy a bag of Howard Johnson
fertilizer, when I noticed that it had a "0" where the phosphorus
number used to be.

It also said something like "now more environmentally friendly,
with no phosphorus".

Now correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't phosphorus necessary for
flowering and fruit production?

In a lawn?

I don't exactly apply this to my lawn - one bag lasted me 5 years
the last time, since I sparingly side dress my plants. However, I'm
annoyed that now the bag lacks one of what I consider the 3 most
important parts of a fertilizer.

Could be that too much phosphate gets into our water ways, causing
algal blooms, which, when it decomposes, kills the critters in the
water, or the phosphorus flows to the ocean, where it does the same
thing, and the areas are called "dead zones".

This is the case. It is also the case that runoff from excess nitrogenous
fertiliser creates many an algal bloom and mad growth of water plants
choking up waterways. Therefore the chemfert company should make their
stuff doubly environmentally friendly by taking out the N as well as the P.
It would save on production costs too. This is how to be mean and green.

David

OK, let's call it what it is, nitrates,
the bane of the petroleum fed garden.

But, then we wouldn't have blue babies.
"Where's the fun in that", said Bevis to Butthead.

Now I know Billy has lost it!
It is a sad day when one quotes a phrase from the Bevis & Butthead show.

Billy you need more class like from Ren & Stimpy "You.. You... Idiot"

--
Enjoy Life... Dan

Garden in Zone 5 South East Michigan.

In article ,
"Dan L." wrote:

In article
,
Billy wrote:

In article ,
"David Hare-Scott" wrote:

Billy wrote:
In article , Ohioguy
wrote:

I was at Wal-Mart earlier, about to buy a bag of Howard Johnson
fertilizer, when I noticed that it had a "0" where the phosphorus
number used to be.

It also said something like "now more environmentally friendly,
with no phosphorus".

Now correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't phosphorus necessary for
flowering and fruit production?

In a lawn?

I don't exactly apply this to my lawn - one bag lasted me 5 years
the last time, since I sparingly side dress my plants. However, I'm
annoyed that now the bag lacks one of what I consider the 3 most
important parts of a fertilizer.

Could be that too much phosphate gets into our water ways, causing
algal blooms, which, when it decomposes, kills the critters in the
water, or the phosphorus flows to the ocean, where it does the same
thing, and the areas are called "dead zones".

This is the case. It is also the case that runoff from excess
nitrogenous
fertiliser creates many an algal bloom and mad growth of water plants
choking up waterways. Therefore the chemfert company should make their
stuff doubly environmentally friendly by taking out the N as well as the
P.
It would save on production costs too. This is how to be mean and green.

David

OK, let's call it what it is, nitrates,
the bane of the petroleum fed garden.

But, then we wouldn't have blue babies.
"Where's the fun in that", said Bevis to Butthead.

Now I know Billy has lost it!
It is a sad day when one quotes a phrase from the Bevis & Butthead show.

Billy you need more class like from Ren & Stimpy "You.. You... Idiot"

Thanks for the introduction to American culture, such as it is.

Now where did I put the booze?
--
- Billy
"Fascism should more properly be called corporatism because it is the
merger of state and corporate power." - Benito Mussolini.
http://www.democracynow.org/2010/7/2/maude
http://www.democracynow.org/2010/6/2...al_crime_scene

On 7/15/10 11:07 AM, Ohioguy wrote:
I was at Wal-Mart earlier, about to buy a bag of Howard Johnson
fertilizer, when I noticed that it had a "0" where the phosphorus number
used to be.

It also said something like "now more environmentally friendly, with
no phosphorus".

Now correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't phosphorus necessary for
flowering and fruit production?

I don't exactly apply this to my lawn - one bag lasted me 5 years the
last time, since I sparingly side dress my plants. However, I'm annoyed
that now the bag lacks one of what I consider the 3 most important parts
of a fertilizer.

If you merely broadcast the fertilizer, the phosphorus would be wasted.
It does not dissolve easily and thus will not leach through the soil to
reach plant roots.

Phosphorus promoted flowering and root growth. To be effective, it must
be placed where roots will find it. For details, see the first
paragraph in my garden diary entry for 28 January of this year (link in
my signature below).

--
David E. Ross
Climate: California Mediterranean
Sunset Zone: 21 -- interior Santa Monica Mountains with some ocean
influence (USDA 10a, very close to Sunset Zone 19)
Gardening diary at http://www.rossde.com/garden/diary