Fertilizer

Discuss repotting, soil, lighting, fertilizing, watering, etc. in this category.
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spolott
Posts: 12
Joined: Tue Jul 01, 2014 11:47 pm
Location: Long Island

Fertilizer

Post by spolott »

Hi everyone
I have using Miracle-gro cactus plant food for my summer feedings which is 2-7-7. Just found a box of the Schultz liquid plant food which is 10-15-10. If used as directed is this to strong for a cactus. Be good to know for next summer. Thanks
DaveW
Posts: 7376
Joined: Thu Dec 20, 2012 2:36 pm
Location: Nottingham, England/UK

Re: Fertilizer

Post by DaveW »

Generally speaking for cacti the recommendation is to dilute to half or quarter the strength recommended for normal plants on the pack since our plants do not grow as quickly, therefore can become bloated if fertilization is overdone. Plus being slower growing unused salts build up in the soil quicker than with more vigorous "normal" plants. Also it depends on your growing medium, fairly inert growing mediums, often termed mineral soils, may need more fertilisation than those containing soil or humus which provide many of the elements mineral soils may lack.

A quote from the web:-

"One caution! If your plants are growing too lushly and/or are losing their characteristic shape, this may be the result of over-fertilizing. As a rule, it is safer to under-fertilize than over-fertilize."

There are as many views on fertilisers as there are collectors, coupled with what they consider normal growth and what is considered over fertilisation, therefore you will have to decide that for yourself. Before all the specialist cactus fertilisers were produced we used to use fertilisers designed for flowers or fruit. However some now seem to approve of general plant fertilisers higher in nitrogen, whereas others prefer lower nitrogen feeds such as tomato fertilisers or your Miracle-Gro 2-7-7. A nurseryman I knew who grew some outstanding plants used to prefer a higher nitrogen feed earlier in the year when the plants were growing, but lower nitrogen ones towards the end of the year to harden off the plants for winter when lush growth was less cold resistant:-

http://www.cactusinfo.net/fertilize.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://succulent-plant.com/fertiliser.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
spolott
Posts: 12
Joined: Tue Jul 01, 2014 11:47 pm
Location: Long Island

Re: Fertilizer

Post by spolott »

Thank You
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