Hi All,
I fitted a gardena automatic watering system to my small cottage carden
earlier this year. It has worked great, and saved me around an hour a day
watering. What I've noticed now though, is that because I haven't been
fertilizing anything, plants are looking a bit pale, so are loosing leaves.
So - I want to add some kind of automatic fertilizer dispensor to the
system. Gardena seem to sell one, but not as part of their drip-watering
system. Has anyone seen anything (or is using anything) like this with a
drip feed watering system? One thing I'm worried about is ensuring nothing
goes in with the water that could block the drippers and hence the flow of
water so I'm guessing it would almost certainly have to be a liquid
fertilizer system.

If anyone knows of anything let me know. The only thing I've seen so far is
one from an alternative brand product, that fits into the pressure
regulator. I'd prefer not to go that route as I already have a pressure
regulator, and I'm not sure what effect it would have on the system if I
relpaced it with an alternative brand one - I'm assuming the drippers are
designed to work at a specific pressure. Another brand may have a different
pressure.

So, in summary, if anyone knows of an add-on I could use, please let me
know!!

Thanks,
Matthew

"Matthew Durkin" wrote in message
...
Hi All,
I fitted a gardena automatic watering system to my small cottage
carden
earlier this year. It has worked great, and saved me around an hour
a day
watering. What I've noticed now though, is that because I haven't
been
fertilizing anything, plants are looking a bit pale, so are loosing
leaves.
So - I want to add some kind of automatic fertilizer dispensor to
the
system. Gardena seem to sell one, but not as part of their
drip-watering
system. Has anyone seen anything (or is using anything) like this
with a
drip feed watering system? One thing I'm worried about is ensuring
nothing
goes in with the water that could block the drippers and hence the
flow of
water so I'm guessing it would almost certainly have to be a liquid
fertilizer system.

If anyone knows of anything let me know. The only thing I've seen so
far is
one from an alternative brand product, that fits into the pressure
regulator. I'd prefer not to go that route as I already have a
pressure
regulator, and I'm not sure what effect it would have on the system
if I
relpaced it with an alternative brand one - I'm assuming the
drippers are
designed to work at a specific pressure. Another brand may have a
different
pressure.

So, in summary, if anyone knows of an add-on I could use, please let
me
know!!

Surely you can spare an hour applying fertiliser by hand once or twice
a year?

Franz

"Franz Heymann" wrote in message
...

"Matthew Durkin" wrote in message
...
Hi All,
I fitted a gardena automatic watering system to my small cottage
carden
earlier this year. It has worked great, and saved me around an hour
a day
watering. What I've noticed now though, is that because I haven't
been
fertilizing anything, plants are looking a bit pale, so are loosing
leaves.
So - I want to add some kind of automatic fertilizer dispensor to
the
system. Gardena seem to sell one, but not as part of their
drip-watering
system. Has anyone seen anything (or is using anything) like this
with a
drip feed watering system? One thing I'm worried about is ensuring
nothing
goes in with the water that could block the drippers and hence the
flow of
water so I'm guessing it would almost certainly have to be a liquid
fertilizer system.

If anyone knows of anything let me know. The only thing I've seen so
far is
one from an alternative brand product, that fits into the pressure
regulator. I'd prefer not to go that route as I already have a
pressure
regulator, and I'm not sure what effect it would have on the system
if I
relpaced it with an alternative brand one - I'm assuming the
drippers are
designed to work at a specific pressure. Another brand may have a
different
pressure.

So, in summary, if anyone knows of an add-on I could use, please let
me
know!!

Surely you can spare an hour applying fertiliser by hand once or twice
a year?

Franz



That's not really my point! I can, and I have done and I enjoy doing this,
but it would be better if the plants received a constant supply. I've busy
building a raised bed, pond, bbq, and greenhouse (not all started yet), so
all my free time is doing that!! Once completely finished I'll have more
time, but just now, I could really do to have the watering system deal with
it if it's possible.

"Matthew Durkin" wrote in message
...
"Franz Heymann" wrote in message
...

"Matthew Durkin" wrote in message
...
Hi All,
I fitted a gardena automatic watering system to my small cottage
carden
earlier this year. It has worked great, and saved me around an
hour
a day
watering. What I've noticed now though, is that because I
haven't
been
fertilizing anything, plants are looking a bit pale, so are
loosing
leaves.
So - I want to add some kind of automatic fertilizer dispensor
to
the
system. Gardena seem to sell one, but not as part of their
drip-watering
system. Has anyone seen anything (or is using anything) like
this
with a
drip feed watering system? One thing I'm worried about is
ensuring
nothing
goes in with the water that could block the drippers and hence
the
flow of
water so I'm guessing it would almost certainly have to be a
liquid
fertilizer system.

If anyone knows of anything let me know. The only thing I've
seen so
far is
one from an alternative brand product, that fits into the
pressure
regulator. I'd prefer not to go that route as I already have a
pressure
regulator, and I'm not sure what effect it would have on the
system
if I
relpaced it with an alternative brand one - I'm assuming the
drippers are
designed to work at a specific pressure. Another brand may have
a
different
pressure.

So, in summary, if anyone knows of an add-on I could use, please
let
me
know!!

Surely you can spare an hour applying fertiliser by hand once or
twice
a year?

Franz



That's not really my point! I can, and I have done and I enjoy doing
this,
but it would be better if the plants received a constant supply.

I have never seen any experimental evidence in favour of your point.
Have you?
Practically all agriculture and horticulture are based on applying
fertilisers once or twice per year.

I've busy
building a raised bed, pond, bbq, and greenhouse (not all started
yet), so
all my free time is doing that!!

One hour per year is all it needs to put fertiliser on a complete
typical suburban garden.
Surely you are already spending at least a hundred times as much time
sowing, planting, weeding, pruning, etc, etc.?
If you don't, it does not seem worth spending all the time you are
allocating to "building a raised bed, pond, bbq, and greenhouse ".

Once completely finished I'll have more
time, but just now, I could really do to have the watering system
deal with
it if it's possible.

It will take you as much time to install and keep the system serviced
and filled as it will take you to just strew the fertiliser directly
on to the soil.

As a matter of fact, in the time you have spent discussing the matter
in urg, you could have done the fertilising for this year.

{:-))

Franz

wrote in message
...
On Sat, 7 Aug 2004 09:10:51 +0000 (UTC), "Franz Heymann"
wrote:


That's not really my point! I can, and I have done and I enjoy
doing
this,
but it would be better if the plants received a constant supply.

I have never seen any experimental evidence in favour of your
point.
Have you?
Practically all agriculture and horticulture are based on applying
fertilisers once or twice per year.

Except hydroponics http://www.growell.co.uk/

I will settle for 95 to 5

{:-))

Franz

wrote in message
...
On Sat, 7 Aug 2004 19:53:49 +0000 (UTC), "Franz Heymann"
wrote:


wrote in message
.. .
On Sat, 7 Aug 2004 09:10:51 +0000 (UTC), "Franz Heymann"
wrote:


That's not really my point! I can, and I have done and I enjoy
doing
this,
but it would be better if the plants received a constant supply.

I have never seen any experimental evidence in favour of your
point.
Have you?
Practically all agriculture and horticulture are based on applying
fertilisers once or twice per year.

Except hydroponics http://www.growell.co.uk/

I will settle for 95 to 5

Can I interest you in ...

http://www.growell.co.uk/p/2153/Pest_Off.html

Thought not :-)

--
Martin

OK! I can take a hint. I've watered the whole garden with fertilizer and
didn't finish my raised bed :O)
I'll do it tomorrow - it's taking ages anyway. bricks and mortar is much
harder work than I ever imagined. A cement mixer would help of course!!

Anyway - I do have a question about fertilizing - I always though (perhaps
incorrectly), that plants such as tomatoes, courgettes etc benefit from
being fed more often when fruiting?
Matt

"Matthew Durkin" wrote in message
...
wrote in message
...
On Sat, 7 Aug 2004 19:53:49 +0000 (UTC), "Franz Heymann"
wrote:


wrote in message
.. .
On Sat, 7 Aug 2004 09:10:51 +0000 (UTC), "Franz Heymann"
wrote:


That's not really my point! I can, and I have done and I
enjoy
doing
this,
but it would be better if the plants received a constant
supply.

I have never seen any experimental evidence in favour of your
point.
Have you?
Practically all agriculture and horticulture are based on
applying
fertilisers once or twice per year.

Except hydroponics http://www.growell.co.uk/

I will settle for 95 to 5

Can I interest you in ...

http://www.growell.co.uk/p/2153/Pest_Off.html

Thought not :-)

--
Martin

OK! I can take a hint. I've watered the whole garden with fertilizer
and
didn't finish my raised bed :O)

Never mind. You'll finish it some time. {:-))
By the way, using Growmore granules is cheaper than using many of the
liquid fetilisers. It is quicker to apply and the effects last a
little longer than liquid fertilisers which are washed out of the soil
by the first serious rain.

I'll do it tomorrow - it's taking ages anyway. bricks and mortar is
much
harder work than I ever imagined. A cement mixer would help of
course!!

Anyway - I do have a question about fertilizing - I always though
(perhaps
incorrectly), that plants such as tomatoes, courgettes etc benefit
from
being fed more often when fruiting?

Franz


Matt

I the plants are losing leaves wouldn't that indicate overwatering
rather than lack of nutrient? Excess water will have the same effect as
lack of water as the plant won't have enough air at the roots. Generally
lack of food would be shown by yellow leaves or stunted growth wouldn't
it?

janet
--
Janet Tweedy
Dalmatian Telegraph
http://www.lancedal.demon.co.uk