HOW do you fertilize?

Discuss repotting, soil, lighting, fertilizing, watering, etc. in this category.
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oldcat61
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HOW do you fertilize?

Post by oldcat61 »

Curious how others get the needed fertilizer on their cactus. I have way too many to mix up a watering can & do every pot one at a time. Also 10 hanging baskets that I can't reach. I've tried a pressure pump sprayer like to apply pesticides but the nozzles are too small. Tried the regular Miracle-Gro sprayer but that's a sloppy mess in a GH & seems to leak trying to spray up at the baskets. I like the idea of the Miracle-Gro but can't seem to hook it to a good spray wand. What is everyone else doing? Pix would be great. Sue
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CactusFanDan
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Re: HOW do you fertilize?

Post by CactusFanDan »

I mix time-release fertiliser pellets into my soil mix and don't bother with applying fertiliser, unless a plant begins to look like it really needs it, which hasn't happened yet. :P Definitely not a helpful answer unless you feel like repotting everything, although you could possibly just put some of those pellets on the top of the pots so the nutrient content washes in slowly with each watering.
-Dan
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oldcat61
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Re: HOW do you fertilize?

Post by oldcat61 »

Surprised I didn't get more responses. I remember posting a pic of an epi where the slow-release granules were visible & I was told not to use them, as the cactus soil shouldn't stay wet enough to dissolve. If you have a whole GH full, I can't believe you water/fertilize one pot at a time. Need some help - I'm getting behind on feeding. Sue
Tony
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Re: HOW do you fertilize?

Post by Tony »

If you have a lot of plants to water, I highly recommend using a large plastic resivoir (I use a trash can) and an electric water pump ( sump pump) with a hose attachment, all of which can be found either at the big home improvement stores or on line.
Start by filling the tank with water, add vinegar to get the pH to 5.5 /6 if needed, then add your fert in the amount you wish to use, let the pump recirculate the mix for 10 minutes. Then water like you normally would.
I have been watering thousands of plants this way for many years now using miracle grow tomato fert at 1/4 strength and its working great for me.
Forget the dog...Beware of the plants!!!

Tony
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CactusFanDan
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Re: HOW do you fertilize?

Post by CactusFanDan »

oldcat61 wrote: I remember posting a pic of an epi where the slow-release granules were visible & I was told not to use them, as the cactus soil shouldn't stay wet enough to dissolve.
Huh, I keep my Epi's (assuming you mean Epiphyllum, not Epithelantha) really wet all the time so that instantly strikes me as being a load of rubbish. :P The time release granules help to trickle out nutrients very, very slowly, which I think helps to cater to the minimal nutrient requirements of cacti. :wink: Some cacti do grow on pure limestone, where the only nutrients available in any quantity will be calcium. :P Of course, others will require more nutrition, such as Epiphyllum, Opuntia and other jungle/vigourous cacti.
-Dan
Happy growing!

There is always one more glochid. Somewhere.
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oldcat61
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Re: HOW do you fertilize?

Post by oldcat61 »

I like the idea of a large can/barrel & a pump. I'll see what Wonderful Husband can dream up. And yes Dan, I was referring to Epiphyllums which I keep evenly moist.
DaveW
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Re: HOW do you fertilize?

Post by DaveW »

I would have thought you could use a garden pressure sprayer with the nozzle turned to needle jet rather than spray to apply fertiliser individually to pots, plus many have long or extendable lances for hanging baskets. You don't need to apply much liquid fertiliser per pot, unlike normal watering when you want the water to flush out of the drainage holes each watering. I use the previous Hozelock model to this one:-

http://www.hozelock.com/spraying/spraye ... -4710.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.rockaroundtheblock.com.au/ho ... -4107.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

In fact our local council were using similar type sprayers with long lances a few weeks ago to apply fertiliser to their hanging baskets around the lampposts in the street.
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Saxicola
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Re: HOW do you fertilize?

Post by Saxicola »

I use a hose siphon designed for this application. You just hook it up between the hose and the faucet then stick the siphon end in a bucket filled with concentrated fertilizer water. You just do a simple ratio calculation to figure out how much fertilizer to add per gallon.

This is the one I have but there are plenty of variations on this theme:

http://www.amazon.com/Dramm-22625-Sypho ... B002KCY2WS" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
I'm now selling plants on Ebay. Check it out! Kyle's Plants
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