Fertilizer for opuntia when grown for tortoise/lizards?

[Patriotdevil]

Hey folks, although i won't be feeding any for a while I am wondering if i can use an organic fertilizer? Bit worried about using achemical feed when my lizard will be eating this. Cheers

[iann]

You're worried about putting a soluble chemical in the soil, but not bothered about piling dried s**t round your plant?

Are you growing these in the ground or in pots? In the ground, use pretty much any fertiliser that you are happy with. In pots you should avoid the more "raw" fertilisers like chicken pellets or protein meals and stick to packaged fertilisers, but that can include "organic" types such as from kelp.

You should be aware that fertilisers labelled as organic can include the same ingredients as mainstream chemical fertilisers. The certification processes vary but are primarily based on sustainability and not on some notion of safety. They may also include non-sustainable chemicals where it is considered that a good sustainable alternative doesn't exist. The main example is potash where mined rock potash is generally allowed as organic.

[Tony]

I grow opuntia cochenillifera in the ground (sandy loam) for a tortoise and have never fertilized in 7 or 8 years, the thing still grows like a weed.
I try to keep the pesticides away from it too and I do occasionally see scale on the plants, so I just blast it off with a high pressure nozzle attached to a hose.

[Patriotdevil]

Thanks for the info Iann, they'll be in pots.

Another tort keeper said theirs is growing fine without as well Tony, think i'll give the fed a miss thanks.

[Loph]

TOny, tort keepers here use the same species. the things make TREES in no time without anything... i have some growing "out back" in the middle of grasses and morning glories, and they just dont stop growing. they only thing i have given them is the odd accidental whack with tools walking by.

they do attract pests though, so if i were you keep them away from your "real collection".