Nutrients.

[Spikylover]

So essientially i don't understand what's the buzz around hydroponics fertilizers. I almost grow my plants with no soil or organic matter and everyone keeps insisting i should use hydropnics fertilizer instead of normal fertilizer but my plants seem to be doing quite well. (I do know that hydroponics fertilizers have trace elements and all such nutrients).
Here's my point: one of the most common mixes is half peat moss and half minerals and peat moss has no nutrients at all (it does hold nutrients though). So such mix receives its nutrients from water and regular fertilizer/compost. Then why not use hydroponics fertilizer in this case or any other case where peat moss is used as potting soil?

[DaveW]

I suppose it is a case of whether "normal" fertilisers contain trace elements and so mimic hydroponic fertilisers. In the distant past probably most didn't except as adulterants, but most seem to contain trace elements today. Again it depends how inert the medium you grow the plants in is. Many minerals are derived from rock so maybe our so called mineral mixes are not so nutrient lacking, particularly for substances needed in minute quantities like trace elements?

Also, as somebody once said, as cacti grow slowly they also take a long time dying, therefore it may be quite a time compared to "normal" plants before they show trace element deficiency.

A quote from the Web:-

"Another downside is fertility. Peat moss has a relatively low nutrient content profile. It does contain some beneficial microorganisms naturally, and more can be introduced. As far as nutrient value, peat moss isn't high, but it isn't absolutely zero like many people believe. There is good evidence that there are both microorganisms in peat moss, as well as some level of nutrition, depending on the geographical origin and depth the peat moss was harvested from"

[Spikylover]

I suppose it is a case of whether "normal" fertilisers contain trace elements and so mimic hydroponic fertilisers. In the distant past probably most didn't except as adulterants, but most seem to contain trace elements today. Again it depends how inert the medium you grow the plants in is. Many minerals are derived from rock so maybe our so called mineral mixes are not so nutrient lacking, particularly for substances needed in minute quantities like trace elements?

Also, as somebody once said, as cacti grow slowly they also take a long time dying, therefore it may be quite a time compared to "normal" plants before they show trace element deficiency.

A quote from the Web:-

"Another downside is fertility. Peat moss has a relatively low nutrient content profile. It does contain some beneficial microorganisms naturally, and more can be introduced. As far as nutrient value, peat moss isn't high, but it isn't absolutely zero like many people believe. There is good evidence that there are both microorganisms in peat moss, as well as some level of nutrition, depending on the geographical origin and depth the peat moss was harvested from"

Thanks Dave! That was really helpful! I use a mix of broken shale and iron ore for the most part so i don't think i might have lime chlorosis in the future. I use a diluted fertilizer but im moving to YaraMilla complex 12-11-18 or something close with all the trace nutrients and sulfur. The reason im moving to this is that it's used for apple trees here so it's readily available and it's quite cheap at 7$/25kg bag.
Im a chemical engineering student so i do have access to some expensive testing machinery. Im gonna run an xray on the fertilizer to verify if the nutrients are really present.
Im also gonna mark 2 identical cacti's last growth and monitor them using each of the fertilizers. It's not exactly accurate but it will give me an idea.

Regards
Rachel

[DaveW]

Regarding fertilisation, it depends what results you are after Rachel. Plants in habitat usually don't grow as fast as those receiving extra fertilisation in cultivation, therefore some prefer their plants to have the "harder" natural look and mimic habitat conditions, whereas others are after maximum growth using fertilisation, which means lusher growth that often wins shows, but taken to extreme can mean bloated unnatural looking plants. It is a case of striking a happy medium.

Also we have to remember a plant in a pot is not like one in open ground. Not only does the small quantity of soil in a pot not behave like open ground, but it's limited volume can be exhausted of plant food quicker therefore needing extra fertilisation. Add to that the reverse can be the case, with constant fertilisation the salts in the pot can build up to toxic levels unless they are occasionally leached out. This is usually more of a problem with plants grown in the house where the water cannot be allowed to run out of the drainage hole of the pot freely to waste, as it can in a greenhouse.

Also see:-

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/housep ... plants.htm

http://norganics.com/index-2/technical- ... nutrients/

http://succulent-plant.com/fertiliser.html

http://ralph.cs.cf.ac.uk/Cacti/Cactus%2 ... linity.pdf

http://xerophilia.ro/wp-content/uploads ... Eaters.pdf

[Spikylover]

Regarding fertilisation, it depends what results you are after Rachel. Plants in habitat usually don't grow as fast as those receiving extra fertilisation in cultivation, therefore some prefer their plants to have the "harder" natural look and mimic habitat conditions, whereas others are after maximum growth using fertilisation, which means lusher growth that often wins shows, but taken to extreme can mean bloated unnatural looking plants. It is a case of striking a happy medium.

Also we have to remember a plant in a pot is not like one in open ground. Not only does the small quantity of soil in a pot not behave like open ground, but it's limited volume can be exhausted of plant food quicker therefore needing extra fertilisation. Add to that the reverse can be the case, with constant fertilisation the salts in the pot can build up to toxic levels unless they are occasionally leached out. This is usually more of a problem with plants grown in the house where the water cannot be allowed to run out of the drainage hole of the pot freely to waste, as it can in a greenhouse.

Also see:-

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/housep ... plants.htm

http://norganics.com/index-2/technical- ... nutrients/

http://succulent-plant.com/fertiliser.html

http://ralph.cs.cf.ac.uk/Cacti/Cactus%2 ... linity.pdf

http://xerophilia.ro/wp-content/uploads ... Eaters.pdf

Thanks Dave you have been most helpful! In regards to my fertilizer use, i add roughly 1 or 2 tablespoons of fertilizer to 20 liters of water and i do that only once per 4 waterings so over doing it is not a problem. Im just still honing my cacti growing skills to find that sweet spot where everything grows just perfectly!

[DaveW]

"Im just still honing my cacti growing skills to find that sweet spot where everything grows just perfectly!"

Good luck, I have been trying to find that for 56 years and not managed it yet!

[ElieEstephane]

I grow my cacti in a similar way. Some love it and some don't. I've got a cereus peruvuanus monstrose that almost tripled in size in 3 months while some others are showing little to no growth. It's all about experimenting. I keep a detailed journal on my phone about the preferences of each of my cacti and succulents so when a repot is due i repot accordingly.
I read that you have an oreocereus. They are my favorite. It's not sitting along with the mass of my collection because when i water there will be a large puddle of water. Oreocereus love dry air. You have to cater to each cactus' need differently.
I just noticed we are from ennemy contries by the way