I've used multiple blends, for multiple applications, over the past 40+ years. Best all round results came from 10-10-10 in both the northeast and gulf coast. Compost and manure is the way to go, but not always practical.
You are correct. I used an NPK ratio of 2-1-2 soil and my plant did very good, it got huge. Better than 5-3-4 or 5-0-0 and Black gold 13-4-13 soil which turned out to be the worst for my plants.
I have used 10-10-10 in my gardening for years. Never had any problems. Also when watering I use miracle grow liquid . My plants love it and My neighbors are always impressed.
There is an enormous amount of misinformation and/or suppression of valid information everywhere drowning out any source of simple, proven, rational and contemplative information, that it is beyond daunting for anyone trying to make sense of it all. Thank you for holding the line while giving us hope along w great gardening advice.
Because it's a part of the retail sector that creates trillions every year 🌍 🤑 & that's why like here in the UK ALL our rivers/streams for years now are Utterly disgusting Because our farmers ARE lazy ass fookers& GREEDY & JUMPED All on the chemical bandwagon years ago to produce faster growth in the EASIEST way possible & ALL that stuff for DECADES ran off into waterways & farmers etc DIDN'T GIVE A 💩 & KNEW the detrimental effects it was having on OUR countrysides 🌍 I go metal detecting & the amount of worms etc that I DON'T see is saddening to say the Very least ☹️😡
My soil is generally low in all nutrients. I use 10-10-10 as a preplant fertilzer for field corn.The potash and phosphorus isn't needed at sidedressing so I use a nitrogen only fertilizer. Other vegetables generally get diammonium phosphate and potassium sulfate preplant, with a sidedressing of nitrogen if needed. Most of garden also gets an inch or two of compost yearly. 1/4 is always planted in a cover crop.
UA-cam recommended this video to me again. It is interesting to see my own comments immediately after the release of this video almost a year ago, It is funny to see so many thumb-ups for my comment. Professor is a respected gardener, but he is clearly wrong on 10-10-10. It is one of the best fertilizers on the market. I will buy either 10-10-10, or 12-12-12, or 13-13-13, or 19-19-19, or 21-21-21, depending on the price (adjusted for NPK). All these fertilizers do is providing your plants with NPK. Nothing more, nothing less. No fertilizer, including 10-10-10, is balanced. You add or mix different fertilizers to make the nutrients balanced.
Yeah...no. I use it all the time. Beside a pond. No algae blooms. But you missed the fact that more lives in the soil using phosphate than just your plants. Learn chemistry and biology. Maybe you did but just forget. It happens to some folks @@Gardenfundamentals1
I'm also a very long time (Southern hemisphere) gardener, and have tried various products during that time. Lived in three different regions, one cold, one wet and the other dry - where I am now. Each region had diffrent soil types hence different requirements. Some years were good and some not so. About 12 years ago we had a couple of devestating earthquakes which bought tons of liquifaction to the surface. It appears to have contained years and years of nutrients. For three years I had fantastic crops, without adding anything other than compost. I do home composting. Two years ago I used sheep pellet and chicken manure mix for the first time mixed in with the compost. Crops were reasonable. I put it on again for this season. Takes a while to break down but now I have huge croping. Too much for me and family, also distribute to some neighbours and the rest goes to the homeless mission.
Chicken compost is the best. However since chicken shit is hot, you need to age the compost for a minimum of 3 months. Stir it weekly and then use it after 3 months preferably 6
Happens here in our lake, we always get algal blooms in the summertime due to too much fertilizer run off some from commercial agriculture but majority from residential people trying to get their lawns as green as possible. I use a 16-16-16 from Walmart because it is cheap and last me a few years, in small amounts in my earthboxs and a little bit in my new potato beds that I rotate other than that I just us fish fertilizer and leaf mold for my in-ground plants.
As a gardener of many decades, I have great respect for Professor. This video, however, is not helpful to new gardeners. It is like saying one should never use salt in cooking because you are going to add too much salt and ruin everything. 10-10-10 is just a fertilizer that is clean, economic and high in P and K. It should not be the only fertilizer to use, but it is one of the best fertilizers for vegetables and flowers. I recommend 10-10-10 and its cousins (12-12-12, 19-19-19 and 21-21-21) to all my gardening friends. You can make whatever NPK you want by mixing a little 10-10-10 with 46-0-0, 0-0-60, 10-0-0 03 21-0-0. 10-10-10 is a must have for all serious gardeners. Hoard a few bags of 10-10-10 when it is on sale.
It's cheap stuff, probably why we ever started using it. Like our diet, balanced sounds so good, but we sure don't need equal amounts of anything. Peace.@@Gardenfundamentals1
I have a small Tulip Poplar tree and I found online that it needs a 10-10-10 slow-release fertilizer tablet. They're not easy to find that aren't $30+ that's so expensive. But Jobes plant sticks are 10-10-4
i use 21-4-7 in the fields to produce grass for the animals. So I use a little of it for the vegetables when they are in the growth stage, you only have to take a little because it grows well. later I use 4-1-6 for tomatoes and cucumbers, the vegetables that have fruit.
My container grown Miracle Berry plants do very well in with 13-13-13 citrus fertiliser. The substrate is a 50:50 peatmoss and perlite mix, which is quite acidic.
I grow organically and get fantastic results. It's nice that my garden is a little ecosystem that supports nature and all its life forms. I've never used pesticides and I never will and I found that you simply don't need them nature finds its own balance.
"If you can't measure it, you can't improve it." The best answer is to test your soil. Even when taking an organic approach, the "wrong" compost and manure sources can leave your garden high in phosphate too, which happened to me. Started testing my soil, and my garden has never been better. I've improved what material sources I use for compost and supplement with fertilzer based on what samples tell me.
There are plenty of nutrients and minerals in every soil. The amount of soluble nutrients might be small, but if you have healthy bacteria and fungi in the soil, they will unlock those nutrients.
When growing plants, there are always multiple factors that determine what the ideal fertiliser is. I garden for a hobby, so not an expert, but I can say that each gardener should familiarise themselves with all the relevant factors. You mentioned doing a soil test, which is great. The climate. The permeability of the earth, drainage, and whether the good earth is just covering a layer of clay a few feet down. I recommend to everyone to explore their soil 4 feet down. You can dig a hole with a shovel, which yields the most visibility, or use a core extraction type soil sampler. The type of plants matter. Hardy plants do better at regulating mineral intake. Delicate plants, which are often deciduous and have delicate leaves, can be more affected by a chemical imbalance. The time of the year you fertilise matters. The dosage of the fertiliser is what a scientist will say is the most important. Almost anything is not harmful at all in a small enough dose yet is also dangerous at too high a dosage. And finally, if you’re planting plants you intend to harvest, rotating crops every year or every other year helps create healthier soil, more abundant and sweeter fruit and veggies. I recommend anyone to learn what each crop does to the soil and that way you’ll achieve much better results. Permaculture largely addresses the diversity and effects of individual plant types on soil quality and agro yield.
Yep, I fell for this trap when I first started gardening. After about 5-6 years my plants were having a hard time in the summer. The soil was compact and basically dead. After that I discovered Robert's books and went down one hell of a research rabbit hole to mend my ways... This is a good video. I wish someone told me this ages ago.
I think the reason people use 10 10 10 is because the extension office recommends it. Every class they have always tells everyone to use 10 10 10. My soil test came back last year very low in Phosphorus and fairly low in Potassium. Every thing else was good. Their recommendation was 30lbs of 10 10 10 per 1000 square feet. I just side dressed with an organic fertilizer and added compost.
That makes sense tho if your potassium and phosphorus were already low. The thing is, don't do that every single year, without getting new test results.
New gardener spent a small fortune on “soil” (basically clay sold as compost as it hardened). Now I started making my own compost. I can only afford own urine mixed with grass clippings fermented, works quite well. However I see I wouldn’t need the store fertilizer
I'm going to use 10-10-10 fertilizer for the first time. Our soil takes too long to heat up to 50 degrees, so I'm going to use it to hot compost enough hay to give our Sweet Potatoes a head start.
I know absolutely nothing about gardening, but I am 100% serious about maintaining a beautiful lawn. My problem is moles/mole crickets every fall season, & I've heard 10-10-10 may be a good deterrent for spreading throughout the lawn, which forms a barrier and keeps them from returning. Just wanted a second opinion. What is your take on that?
Honestly there isn’t a one size fits all. I’m in FL which is very sandy and alkaline low nutrients. 10-10-10 is a base then supplement as needed. I get really nice bananas, pineapples, and peaches using 10-10-10. Others may have differing needs based on where they are and soil conditions. I also maintain a good mulch pile for amending soil
12 - 12 -12 Used exclusively for general fertilization purposes. It’s a way to fert without having to worry about which plant needs what and when. Keeps from having to have multiple fert types. Especially useful for annual container growing. Like a liq 20 20 20. Where you may have foliage ornamental in same container as flowering plant. True best yo give what ya need but in a pinch throw a lil 121212 and ya be ok.
@@alexandrevaliquette3883 Double negative much?🙄. I still deciphered your reply, but not sure why youthink I didn’t watch. * see last sentence of original comment. Anyways, I’m just teaching the people that a balanced fert isn’t gonna ruin your gardening. And you can be wildly successful!!! So, unless your hard core gardener with money to spend, don’t run out and run soil tests or buy 9 different kinds of fertilizers. ‘I hope you not understand me no better.’ 😃
@@DustyTail Hi Dusty, I'm sorry for my kinda rude comment. And for my double negative as well! I guess I feeled trolling for no reason that day. I get your point, it's legit. I'm a french Canadian, now you better understand me! Have a nice day, thank for your reply.
My food forest is 3 years old and the only outside stuff iv put in is Azomite, untill just now its gotted so big i bought a bag of 101010. BUT im only adding it in tiny amounts. The forest just needs a tiny kick.
I have chicken pellets who are 4-6-8 and 5-3-2. The idea is to use 4-6-8 at the beginning of the season on most of my plants and work that fertilizer in a bit(so no full no til) then if i have a deficiency I use the 5-3-2. They are both 8 and 10kg bags for pretty cheap. Got tired of buying bagged 2kg fertilizer for 10$ when the bagger stuff has 4 to 5 times for for 15-20$ i do have some blood meal who is 12-0-0 that i could use on the extreme cases like on my strawberries, they always have a nitrogen deficiency but pretty high phosphate and potassium like you demonstrated. After i applied the blood meal. My strawberries just Had the biggest bloom grow i ever had. They just keep on coming. I changed the soil from clay like to municipality compost mixed with peat and perlite. Still had nitrogen defiency early on. New leaves burned out at the crowns. At least im going to get an harvest this year My peppers started having yelloish green leaves and i applied a cup of 5-3-2. My blood potetoes had too much nitrogen. They grew extremly big but had poor tubber development. Some of them got yellow green and dropped the blossoms before they opened. One of the main reason i got the 4-6-8. I got so far 4 kg out of my 2kg seed potetoes
Whats wrong with using a small amount amount of 10-10-10 and supplementing macro and micronutrients as needed later? I use 10-10-10 during vegetative growth and it doesnt hurt anything. Now flowering and fruiting times i supplement with specific nutrients. I think there is more than one way to skin a cat and very seldom are nutrients in the exact perfect ratio in nature anyway. I appreciate all the knowledge you are sharing 😊
Thank you for an excellent explanation. I've been using manure, compost, and letting material from pruning fall to the ground and compost for quite a while I watch a few gardening channels, and one in particular really pushes Espoma products. The couple has made tons of money from advertising the products, but I keep imagining them sneaking around at night adding compost to their gardens after they yap about the wonders of Espoma.😅
I wonder if the brands that sell the 10-10-10 in a slow release format, take into account how the soil absorbs the various nutrients at different rates. 🤔
Thank you for your video. with regards to NPK ratio: if I want flower to bloom or bloom more, I don't need high N, but I need high P, correct?. High N is for plant early growth?
My soil and water has extremely high levels of potassium and high amounts of phosphates naturally. So I fertilize mostly with nitrogen with Ammonium sulphate(My soil is extremely alkaline).
Thank you for explaining this concept which no one is discussing. It is good eye opener for me who is new to gardening! I stay in multi-storey apartment so Potted plants is the only option for me. I read in one of your blogs that Potting mix doesn't contain soil and we are also not trying to improve long term quality of potted soil using compost with slow release, hence, it is better to use synthetic fertilisers. Since 3-1-2 is recommended ratio, I started searching it. To my surprise, the country I live in it is extremely difficult to find that ratio. Everywhere it is just balanced fertiliser with 20-20-20, 10-10-10 etc. Could you please advise how I can make my own fertiliser mix for 3-1-2 ratio using multiple synthetic fertilisers like Urea, DAP and Potash which are readily available on Amazon? Thank you.
I got a basil plant, small, I searched the internet and first article said use 10 10 10 fertilizer. Then I saw your video saying do not use 10-10-10. But Is this the one in the million case where 10 10 10 is appropriate? Thanks
sometimes people are just trying to elevate themselves with a particular strategy. Ive been using 10 10 10 for decades. i only use it a few times per year because i dont always need the phosphorus.
I use 10-10-10 around my lilacs, Raspberries, and around my apple trees in the spring. A couple times a summer/fall I spray miracle gro around them. Perhaps I’ll find slow release organic fertilizer to replace the 10-10-10.
Isn't replacing the missing nutrients from our soil essentially the same thing as adding the nutrients that plants need? Seems like semantics to me. For purposes of discussion, lets assume we have perfect soil, with exactly 100% of all the nutrients that our plant needs. We then grow our plant and the plant removes the nutrients it needs (somewhat unique to the particular plant). We are then left with a nutrient deficiency equivalent to the nutrients the plant removed (ignoring for the moment the additional nutrients created by our healthy living soil). So we get a soil test and it confirms the missing nutrients are equivalent to the nutrients removed by our plant, so we add fertilizer to our soil to get it back to our 100% perfect soil. Isn't that the same thing as adding fertilizer that the particular plant needs? So how is fertilizing the soil in my example any different than fertilizing the plant? Robert, I have learned more from your videos than all the rest I've seen. I had to relearn much of what I thought I learned from other videos. So much misinformation out there. Keep up the good work!
"Isn't replacing the missing nutrients from our soil essentially the same thing as adding the nutrients that plants need?" - no. There is a huge difference and the reason most gardeners are fertilizing wrong. Lets say soil has no nutrients - like a potted plant in peat moss. It needs a 3-1-2 ratio. now consider soil that has enough N, enough P but is lacking K. What should you use for fertilizer? You only add K.
P2O5 and K2O compounds do not exist in fertilizers. Likewise, Potash does not contain K2O (potassium oxide), which plants do not take up. The amount of potassium is often reported as K2O equivalent (that is, how much it would be if in K2O form), however, to allow apples-to-apples comparison between different fertilizers using different types of potash. ~wiki
In a different video you stated that fertilization depends on the soil you are working with -- that fertilizers should be used address deficiencies and not to feed plants. So the 3-1-2 ratio, is that for container gardening when using inert potting mix? Or is the 3-1-2 ratio a general rule of thumb for in-ground gardening? Thanks for the great educational garden videos, learning a lot.
The 3-1-2 is what plants use. It is not a recommended NPK for fertilizing soil that already has some nutrients. Potting media has almost no nutrients - so use a 3-1-2.
The funny thing is that I think Worm castings has 10 / 10 /10... or close.. and it increases you plant growth by anything from double to quadruple the growth, because of the fungi and the good bacteria..
Since this is talking about plants in soil, what fertilizer should one use on plants in pots with potting mix? Is there a good slow release type? Surely potted plants need some of all three NPK. Thanks.
Interested to see what this video has for me. I already know 4-1-2 is the overall ratio I want for the year but part of that is applications of 10-10-10 at certain points in the year.
Ah 3-1-2 forgot this is mostly aimed for gardens but the research on lawns is 4-1-2 just fyi. For the excesses vs fungi that is why application time matters, same basic idea for penetration levels, if you apply it in winter through organic slow release sources then those can work down and become plants available for the next growing season in spring. But if you are using a balanced year round that would be detrimental I agree.
I use fast acting highly available high nitrogen fertilizers either in tiny granular or liquid form for peak growing season. When I say high I mean 7-1-2. And I use top dressing of alfalfa meal and compost at the edges of the growth season and then balanced at the end of fall.
What if you primarily use a decent compost (high nitrogen materials supplemented with wood ash for potassium) and use the 10-10-10 to add some phosphate to that compost?
Been using jacks 20 20 20 for years on everything , potted plants and fig trees as well as my garden, switch to jacks bloom booster when plants are big enough to support fruits and works great for me every year
I believe you missed his point about listen N-P-K ratios. He clarifies that N-P-K does not refer to elemental ratios of nitrogen phosphorus potassium and instead refers to the Nitrogen - Phosphate - Potash. He then instructs you to use a 3-1-2 N-P-K...meaning 3 (N) - 1 (P_2 O_5) - 2 (K_2 O). If 20-20-20 works go for it but understand that just as "10-10-10 is really 10-4-8", 3-1-2 is really 3-0.4-1.6 to put it your way.
Amazing how many people don’t even think before they post. Plants like all living things require different vitamins and minerals for optimal health, growth, and productivity. Just because 10-10-10 “works for you” does not mean you’re providing an optimal environment for your plants to grow and thrive. Also, just like every person is different, so are plants as well soil types and conditions.
You're one of those people who don't think before you post just like you said plants are like people everyone's different so that means you would have to actually test every single plant, separate from the soil, and fertilize it to its individual needs which is absolutely ridiculous.
I have start off with 17-17-17 and add N-P to meet the soil test recommendations. Most of thee lawns here are in the range of 25-20-15. I do however get custom mixes for pastures. Maybe you can tell me, most every lawn fertilizer I see for sale is 25>2-2. However, none of the soil tests I get back are anywhere near that. Why so much N?
Got a soil sample test done and it shows too much phosphorus and slightly below the ideal amount of potassium. They recommended 15-0-15. I was using a 24-8-16 during the seedling and vegetative state and switched to a 18-18-21 for budding, flowering, and ripening. I stopped doing this last year after watching one of your videos where you mentioned this. Test also showed too much calcium. I read online that increasing aeration and drainage can help with lowering calcium. Soil is compacted so I’m going to double dig anyway. Old wood borders in the beds are rotting away and need to redo them. Soil is fine to about 6” then hits compacted soil. Do you know if double digging lowers calcium?
Thanks. I always love a logical argument and people who question establshed beliefs that sometimes are delusional or misrepresented. 👍👍👍 Nothing like worm juice.
A great video explained with simple examples. I have a 5 gallon bucket of miracle Gro basic forming and a 5 gallon bucket of miracle Gro acid forming. I acquired them from an old job 24 years ago. They are both still half full. During that time I’ve used them only on my home garden and vegetables, sparingly.
First of all, it really depends on the plant. Succulents and conifers need way less nitrogen than the deciduous plants. But they may start browning if they lack potassium, and they will eventually if you don't apply it. In fact, manure can literally kill these plants. The nitrogen will boost rapid green growth, but there will be not enough potassium to support its health. So the plant will exhaust itself.
is this why people started coming up with the saying for gardening that less is more? if all you have is 10 10 10 then you better use less than needed for nitrogen or you will have more problems then using no nutes, potentially
Does using manures without composting, potentially transmit pathogens and harmful bacteria to the garden? And is there a soil test for home gardeners that will accurately test not only for NPK but also micronutrients? Wouldn't a foliar spray with the appropriate nutrients be just as effective as applying fertilizer to the soil? Has anyone else noticed that academic types in various horticulture pursuits, seem to always advocate for multiple applications of fertilizer without mentioning soil testing?
This is why I tend to keep Miracid equivalent 30-10-10 around for bad rain weeks. I have all sorts of organic tricks to get long term soil health but, when nature flushes your soil out with hard water, the blue stuff works.
What should I use to get Karl Foerster grass to bloom, as it did when I bought it? It is planted in a very big container, not in the ground. 10-10-10 is recommended online!!!???
So if a 10 - 10 - 10 is actually in content NOT 5% phosphate or 5% potassium, does the same apply to the generally and highly recommended 3 - 1 - 2 ACTUAL quantities? I assume so. In essence then the actual phosphate and potassium CONTENT is in the .5 or .8 ranges. This would indicate, and as Robert says we don't NEED as much phosphate and potassium as the marketing departments of the fertilizer companies claim.
That is for garden soil it seems. What about fruiting or flowering plants? What about potted orchids? Don’t they need phosphate to flower?? I’m still confused 😞
Sir! Thank you so much for your expert knowledge. I just found your channel Feb. 14th, 2024. QUESTION: WHAT IS THE BEST FORMULA FOR A KRATKY SYSTEM For 5 gallons of water for Greens? I assume there would be an increase for vegetable like Tomato & Peppers The hydroponic formulas are Too strong and expensive. What would you recommend as a DIY mixture?
Hydroponics fertilizer requires additional micronutrients, which are not being supplied by soil. I use the blend from this video: ua-cam.com/video/vYv9iu2NI3M/v-deo.html&ab_channel=mhpgardener
OK, you've talked me into it. Although I noticed growth when I used 10-10-10, vs. no fertilizer at all. All my plants are potted. Now, if I want to strengthen roots, what do I use? And if I want my plant to flower, what do I use? This is a big problem, my plants do not flower. Thanks.
Miracle grow at half dose one time week. I used to be strictly organic for almost 20 years. I’ve got so much MG my mom bought from Costco because she has dementia. I’m glad it doesn’t expire. I use it in moderation on my plants and never had an issue. In the spring it gets my tomatoes to take off faster vs the organic fertilizers I’ve used.
Since "balanced fertilizers" actually deliver 10% N, 4% P, and 8% K, their ratio of N to P of 10 to 4 is equal to 3 to 1.2, and their ratio of N to K of 10 to 8 is equal to 3 to 2.4. Wouldn't this distribution of 3 to 1.2 to 2.4 be fairly similar to the 3-1-2 distribution of nutrients that plants actually need?
If I missed it please forgive me. 3-1-2 is the optimal balance but what is the optimal balance in trade number descriptions please. EG 30-10-20 is not actually that hight in P and K. thanks
Hate to say this being an organic grower. But 10-10-10 miracle grow as a hydroponic nutrients was awesome. Now it's not available anymore. The new one didn't work.
Fish emulsion is a 5-1-1 and works pretty well. Given the knowledge that nitrogen moves/leaches out my containers far faster than the other two, makes sense as to why long term use of fish emulsion should be fine. As long as I don't use too much at once or too often, it seems like it makes sense at those ratios. I just worried it would be too much nitrogen for flowering stages. I used a bloom boost product from Alaska company that makes the fish emulsion I use, and that made everything bloom like CRAZY, even my oregano which I didn't intend. I learned I definitely don't need to use that stuff in general for my garden, but it certainly helped with blooms. What do you have to say about bloom booster products that are 0-10-10 or things with no nitrogen? Specifically for inducing blooming on already established plants?
Is it possible to use azalea fertilizer as a general fertilizer? I have 2 boxes and will never use it all, so want to use one of them for general use on plants.
If using compost and manure long term and a liquid 3-1-2 for the immediate demands of vegtables is okay , would using an organic 4-4-4 dry amendment in the soil along with the compost ( 1-1-1 ) and a liquid 3-1-2 as needed be similar for keeping good balance ?
I'm a little confused...in another video you pointed out that the 10-10-10 is in reality a 10-4-8 because of the O molecules in the potash and phosphate. So it seems that the 10-10-10 is in reality closer to the 3-1-2 ratio in terms of the 'actual' nutrients in the mix.
Makes sense what you suggest, but I have a small backyard and no room for an in-ground garden. I only use fabric grow bags or vertical planters on my large outdoor patio. I make my own potting mix and add different amendments. What would fertilizer, etc. would you suggest to amend the potting mix and continue to use during the growing season? I am in zone 8b.
Depends on your amendments, but if they are watered a lot so water runs out the bottom, or if the amendments are organic in nature, you can assume very low nutrients and fertilize with 3-1-2.
It is a great starter fertilizer. When you plant a seed, it needs immediate nutrients, and it will take up what it needs. Farmers in the 50's and before used it for their crops, and their vegetables tasted wonderful. The county extension service recommended they use it.
what about water soluble nutrients being fed to potted plants, does K stay at the top then? Also does 3-1-2 still pertain to water soluble fed potted plants?
I get so confused about the scientific basis of gardening recommendations. For instance, this whole topic assumes the plant needs for N,P, and K stay constant over the life of the plant. Recent science suggests otherwise, right? K+ is only required later in the life cycle of a plant and is detrimental early; nitrate is a suppressant to growth early in the cycle. I'll stick with compost and let the soil biome figure it out. I think.....
I like the idea of just using compost and giving a shot of combo fertilizer when plants actually show deficiency. I'd do lab tests & really target things if running a farm or was dependent on what I grow. Most youtubers are using like 20 bags of bone meal, kelp, rock dust, fish juice, etc lol. I'm convinced its just sponsored product pushing and a waste of money. Things that may not provide any benefit or be harmful in quantities shown. Like it all just gets too exotic. Shelfish aren't crawling into the forest to die to fertilize the plants after all, and nature does just fine lol.
So correcting for the measures being in phosphate and potash a 10-10-10 fertilizer gives 2.5-1-2 NPK. As close to the perfect ratio as makes no difference?
Nah. Think about it in terms of this analogy for clarification! .10-10-10 : 10% (Nitrogen), 4% (Phosphorus), 8% (Potassium) as 3-1-2 : 3% (Nitrogen) , 0.4% (Phosphorus), 1.6% (Potassium). His point is the N-P-K does not refer to the elemental percentages. He then expains that plants use a 3-1-2 N-P-K.
Gardenfundamentals1Gardenfundamentals1 This is just a statement, not an answer. Does the 3:1:2 ratio refer to N:P2O5:K2O. If so, is the magic ratio of elemental nitrogen:phosphorus:potassium more like 7.5:1:5? The popular literature is just completely bonkers on this.
Where can I find a 10-0-0 fertilizer I don’t think I saw it at Walmart I live in the west part of Texas mostly dry and desert I can get my vegetables to grow but I think some nitrogen would help them a lot bc the soil here ain’t the best but it’s good.
I've used multiple blends, for multiple applications, over the past 40+ years. Best all round results came from 10-10-10 in both the northeast and gulf coast. Compost and manure is the way to go, but not always practical.
10 10 10 works best for figs
You are correct. I used an NPK ratio of 2-1-2 soil and my plant did very good, it got huge. Better than 5-3-4 or 5-0-0 and Black gold 13-4-13 soil which turned out to be the worst for my plants.
Using 10 - 10-10 for years , plants grow very well and very satisfied.
You can eat very unhealty, smoke and drink for years and you will no see an effect. Get it?!
@@PM-wt3ye I don't get it...Can you explain?
@@soota6083They’re saying that while you do things that work for you, that’s not always the best solution aka healthy…
@@PM-wt3ye Do you get it?
Well.. you might be the 1 in a million person he's talking about. 😂
I have used 10-10-10 in my gardening for years. Never had any problems. Also when watering I use miracle grow liquid . My plants love it and My neighbors are always impressed.
I'm sure it works but the point is youre wasting money. That's like washing your dishes in a car wash and thinking your smart
There is an enormous amount of misinformation and/or suppression of valid information everywhere drowning out any source of simple, proven, rational and contemplative information, that it is beyond daunting for anyone trying to make sense of it all. Thank you for holding the line while giving us hope along w great gardening advice.
Yeah, because all these companies are trying to sell products that people don't need.
Because it's a part of the retail sector that creates trillions every year 🌍 🤑 & that's why like here in the UK ALL our rivers/streams for years now are Utterly disgusting Because our farmers ARE lazy ass fookers& GREEDY & JUMPED All on the chemical bandwagon years ago to produce faster growth in the EASIEST way possible & ALL that stuff for DECADES ran off into waterways & farmers etc DIDN'T GIVE A 💩 & KNEW the detrimental effects it was having on OUR countrysides 🌍
I go metal detecting & the amount of worms etc that I DON'T see is saddening to say the Very least ☹️😡
My soil is generally low in all nutrients. I use 10-10-10 as a preplant fertilzer for field corn.The potash and phosphorus isn't needed at sidedressing so I use a nitrogen only fertilizer. Other vegetables generally get diammonium phosphate and potassium sulfate preplant, with a sidedressing of nitrogen if needed.
Most of garden also gets an inch or two of compost yearly. 1/4 is always planted in a cover crop.
This fertilizer is awesome....10-10- 10 is gold!
UA-cam recommended this video to me again. It is interesting to see my own comments immediately after the release of this video almost a year ago, It is funny to see so many thumb-ups for my comment. Professor is a respected gardener, but he is clearly wrong on 10-10-10. It is one of the best fertilizers on the market. I will buy either 10-10-10, or 12-12-12, or 13-13-13, or 19-19-19, or 21-21-21, depending on the price (adjusted for NPK). All these fertilizers do is providing your plants with NPK. Nothing more, nothing less. No fertilizer, including 10-10-10, is balanced. You add or mix different fertilizers to make the nutrients balanced.
I've used 10-10-10 fertilizer for the last 30 years never had a problem
Triple 13 has served me well for decades.
You never had a problem with 10-10-10 because it is one of the best fertilizers money can buy 😀😀
How do you know that the excess phosphorus has not polluted local lakes and rivers?
Pho’s doesn’t leach like nitrogen. If it’s runoff yes it can but if it’s in the ground it won’t
Yeah...no. I use it all the time. Beside a pond. No algae blooms. But you missed the fact that more lives in the soil using phosphate than just your plants. Learn chemistry and biology. Maybe you did but just forget. It happens to some folks @@Gardenfundamentals1
I'm also a very long time (Southern hemisphere) gardener, and have tried various products during that time. Lived in three different regions, one cold, one wet and the other dry - where I am now. Each region had diffrent soil types hence different requirements. Some years were good and some not so. About 12 years ago we had a couple of devestating earthquakes which bought tons of liquifaction to the surface. It appears to have contained years and years of nutrients. For three years I had fantastic crops, without adding anything other than compost. I do home composting. Two years ago I used sheep pellet and chicken manure mix for the first time mixed in with the compost. Crops were reasonable. I put it on again for this season. Takes a while to break down but now I have huge croping. Too much for me and family, also distribute to some neighbours and the rest goes to the homeless mission.
Chicken compost is the best. However since chicken shit is hot, you need to age the compost for a minimum of 3 months. Stir it weekly and then use it after 3 months preferably 6
Happens here in our lake, we always get algal blooms in the summertime due to too much fertilizer run off some from commercial agriculture but majority from residential people trying to get their lawns as green as possible. I use a 16-16-16 from Walmart because it is cheap and last me a few years, in small amounts in my earthboxs and a little bit in my new potato beds that I rotate other than that I just us fish fertilizer and leaf mold for my in-ground plants.
As a gardener of many decades, I have great respect for Professor. This video, however, is not helpful to new gardeners. It is like saying one should never use salt in cooking because you are going to add too much salt and ruin everything. 10-10-10 is just a fertilizer that is clean, economic and high in P and K. It should not be the only fertilizer to use, but it is one of the best fertilizers for vegetables and flowers. I recommend 10-10-10 and its cousins (12-12-12, 19-19-19 and 21-21-21) to all my gardening friends. You can make whatever NPK you want by mixing a little 10-10-10 with 46-0-0, 0-0-60, 10-0-0 03 21-0-0. 10-10-10 is a must have for all serious gardeners. Hoard a few bags of 10-10-10 when it is on sale.
" but it is one of the best fertilizers for vegetables and flowers" - that is simply not true, for the reasons stated in the video.
Thank you sooooo much for sharing all of your impressive knowledge with us, Robert 🙏🏽
It's cheap stuff, probably why we ever started using it. Like our diet, balanced sounds so good, but we sure don't need equal amounts of anything. Peace.@@Gardenfundamentals1
3:24
I have a small Tulip Poplar tree and I found online that it needs a 10-10-10 slow-release fertilizer tablet. They're not easy to find that aren't $30+ that's so expensive. But Jobes plant sticks are 10-10-4
i use 21-4-7 in the fields to produce grass for the animals. So I use a little of it for the vegetables when they are in the growth stage, you only have to take a little because it grows well. later I use 4-1-6 for tomatoes and cucumbers, the vegetables that have fruit.
My container grown Miracle Berry plants do very well in with 13-13-13 citrus fertiliser. The substrate is a 50:50 peatmoss and perlite mix, which is quite acidic.
I subscribed to your channel because your comment led me to your channel. I was looking up miracle berry plants a few hours ago
@@calculatedrush Awesome. Thank you very much.
Miracle Berry plants are wonderful and easy to keep but do have their own particular requirements.
I grow organically and get fantastic results. It's nice that my garden is a little ecosystem that supports nature and all its life forms.
I've never used pesticides and I never will and I found that you simply don't need them nature finds its own balance.
"If you can't measure it, you can't improve it." The best answer is to test your soil. Even when taking an organic approach, the "wrong" compost and manure sources can leave your garden high in phosphate too, which happened to me. Started testing my soil, and my garden has never been better. I've improved what material sources I use for compost and supplement with fertilzer based on what samples tell me.
There are plenty of nutrients and minerals in every soil. The amount of soluble nutrients might be small, but if you have healthy bacteria and fungi in the soil, they will unlock those nutrients.
When growing plants, there are always multiple factors that determine what the ideal fertiliser is. I garden for a hobby, so not an expert, but I can say that each gardener should familiarise themselves with all the relevant factors. You mentioned doing a soil test, which is great. The climate. The permeability of the earth, drainage, and whether the good earth is just covering a layer of clay a few feet down. I recommend to everyone to explore their soil 4 feet down. You can dig a hole with a shovel, which yields the most visibility, or use a core extraction type soil sampler. The type of plants matter. Hardy plants do better at regulating mineral intake. Delicate plants, which are often deciduous and have delicate leaves, can be more affected by a chemical imbalance. The time of the year you fertilise matters. The dosage of the fertiliser is what a scientist will say is the most important. Almost anything is not harmful at all in a small enough dose yet is also dangerous at too high a dosage. And finally, if you’re planting plants you intend to harvest, rotating crops every year or every other year helps create healthier soil, more abundant and sweeter fruit and veggies. I recommend anyone to learn what each crop does to the soil and that way you’ll achieve much better results. Permaculture largely addresses the diversity and effects of individual plant types on soil quality and agro yield.
Yep, I fell for this trap when I first started gardening. After about 5-6 years my plants were having a hard time in the summer. The soil was compact and basically dead. After that I discovered Robert's books and went down one hell of a research rabbit hole to mend my ways... This is a good video. I wish someone told me this ages ago.
Manufactured comment with paid thumbs ups niceee
@@yoyoyohihihidude At least, I know that my comment and thumbs up were not fake or sponsored.
At least, I didn't got the check yet.
What is title of his book. Does he have a website. Robert's last name. Thank you!
@@jackiestuck1023 Robert Pavlis.
So what's your fertilizer and it's not a secret is it?
I just did a soil test, and I am very low in all 3, so 10-10-10 is fine for me, and then I will add a 16-0-10 later in the spring to push more growth
I think the reason people use 10 10 10 is because the extension office recommends it. Every class they have always tells everyone to use 10 10 10. My soil test came back last year very low in Phosphorus and fairly low in Potassium. Every thing else was good. Their recommendation was 30lbs of 10 10 10 per 1000 square feet. I just side dressed with an organic fertilizer and added compost.
Same with me
That makes sense tho if your potassium and phosphorus were already low. The thing is, don't do that every single year, without getting new test results.
New gardener spent a small fortune on “soil” (basically clay sold as compost as it hardened). Now I started making my own compost. I can only afford own urine mixed with grass clippings fermented, works quite well. However I see I wouldn’t need the store fertilizer
Thank you for shedding some light on this subject
I'm going to use 10-10-10 fertilizer for the first time. Our soil takes too long to heat up to 50 degrees, so I'm going to use it to hot compost enough hay to give our Sweet Potatoes a head start.
I know absolutely nothing about gardening, but I am 100% serious about maintaining a beautiful lawn. My problem is moles/mole crickets every fall season, & I've heard 10-10-10 may be a good deterrent for spreading throughout the lawn, which forms a barrier and keeps them from returning. Just wanted a second opinion. What is your take on that?
Makes perfect sense to me. I use 12-12-12 for a base and add P&K as needed but the phosphate issue makes sense.
Honestly there isn’t a one size fits all. I’m in FL which is very sandy and alkaline low nutrients. 10-10-10 is a base then supplement as needed. I get really nice bananas, pineapples, and peaches using 10-10-10. Others may have differing needs based on where they are and soil conditions. I also maintain a good mulch pile for amending soil
I purchased fish fertilizer: 3-1-0 for my avocado, peach, mango, and lime trees. Is it wise to use it on them?
12 - 12 -12 Used exclusively for general fertilization purposes. It’s a way to fert without having to worry about which plant needs what and when. Keeps from having to have multiple fert types.
Especially useful for annual container growing. Like a liq 20 20 20. Where you may have foliage ornamental in same container as flowering plant.
True best yo give what ya need but in a pinch throw a lil 121212 and ya be ok.
You have not watch the video havn't ya!
@@alexandrevaliquette3883
Double negative much?🙄.
I still deciphered your reply, but not sure why youthink I didn’t watch. * see last sentence of original comment.
Anyways, I’m just teaching the people that a balanced fert isn’t gonna ruin your gardening. And you can be wildly successful!!!
So, unless your hard core gardener with money to spend, don’t run out and run soil tests or buy 9 different kinds of fertilizers.
‘I hope you not understand me no better.’ 😃
@@DustyTail Hi Dusty, I'm sorry for my kinda rude comment. And for my double negative as well!
I guess I feeled trolling for no reason that day. I get your point, it's legit.
I'm a french Canadian, now you better understand me!
Have a nice day, thank for your reply.
Been using 10-10-10 for 15 years, always have the best garden in the neighborhood
My food forest is 3 years old and the only outside stuff iv put in is Azomite, untill just now its gotted so big i bought a bag of 101010. BUT im only adding it in tiny amounts. The forest just needs a tiny kick.
I usually use a 7-3-3 ratio and have had great results in all my plants especially my citrus trees.
I have chicken pellets who are 4-6-8 and 5-3-2. The idea is to use 4-6-8 at the beginning of the season on most of my plants and work that fertilizer in a bit(so no full no til) then if i have a deficiency I use the 5-3-2. They are both 8 and 10kg bags for pretty cheap. Got tired of buying bagged 2kg fertilizer for 10$ when the bagger stuff has 4 to 5 times for for 15-20$ i do have some blood meal who is 12-0-0 that i could use on the extreme cases like on my strawberries, they always have a nitrogen deficiency but pretty high phosphate and potassium like you demonstrated.
After i applied the blood meal. My strawberries just Had the biggest bloom grow i ever had. They just keep on coming. I changed the soil from clay like to municipality compost mixed with peat and perlite. Still had nitrogen defiency early on. New leaves burned out at the crowns. At least im going to get an harvest this year
My peppers started having yelloish green leaves and i applied a cup of 5-3-2.
My blood potetoes had too much nitrogen. They grew extremly big but had poor tubber development. Some of them got yellow green and dropped the blossoms before they opened. One of the main reason i got the 4-6-8. I got so far 4 kg out of my 2kg seed potetoes
Whats wrong with using a small amount amount of 10-10-10 and supplementing macro and micronutrients as needed later? I use 10-10-10 during vegetative growth and it doesnt hurt anything. Now flowering and fruiting times i supplement with specific nutrients. I think there is more than one way to skin a cat and very seldom are nutrients in the exact perfect ratio in nature anyway. I appreciate all the knowledge you are sharing 😊
Thank you for an excellent explanation. I've been using manure, compost, and letting material from pruning fall to the ground and compost for quite a while I watch a few gardening channels, and one in particular really pushes Espoma products. The couple has made tons of money from advertising the products, but I keep imagining them sneaking around at night adding compost to their gardens after they yap about the wonders of Espoma.😅
espoma is amazing. you must have never used it to be suggesting it doesnt work
I wonder if the brands that sell the 10-10-10 in a slow release format, take into account how the soil absorbs the various nutrients at different rates. 🤔
Fertilizer needs by plants depends on the plant and time year. No one kind meets every situation. Rodney
Thank you for your video. with regards to NPK ratio: if I want flower to bloom or bloom more, I don't need high N, but I need high P, correct?. High N is for plant early growth?
Very true I learned this hard way. Wasted plants last year by using this combination.
My soil and water has extremely high levels of potassium and high amounts of phosphates naturally. So I fertilize mostly with nitrogen with Ammonium sulphate(My soil is extremely alkaline).
How did you test the soil?
I use 20 20 20. No problem. 24 12 6 is good for grass, lettuce green leaf vegetables.
Thank you for explaining this concept which no one is discussing. It is good eye opener for me who is new to gardening! I stay in multi-storey apartment so Potted plants is the only option for me. I read in one of your blogs that Potting mix doesn't contain soil and we are also not trying to improve long term quality of potted soil using compost with slow release, hence, it is better to use synthetic fertilisers. Since 3-1-2 is recommended ratio, I started searching it. To my surprise, the country I live in it is extremely difficult to find that ratio. Everywhere it is just balanced fertiliser with 20-20-20, 10-10-10 etc. Could you please advise how I can make my own fertiliser mix for 3-1-2 ratio using multiple synthetic fertilisers like Urea, DAP and Potash which are readily available on Amazon? Thank you.
I got a basil plant, small, I searched the internet and first article said use 10 10 10 fertilizer. Then I saw your video saying do not use 10-10-10. But Is this the one in the million case where 10 10 10 is appropriate? Thanks
sometimes people are just trying to elevate themselves with a particular strategy. Ive been using 10 10 10 for decades. i only use it a few times per year because i dont always need the phosphorus.
I use 10-10-10 around my lilacs, Raspberries, and around my apple trees in the spring. A couple times a summer/fall I spray miracle gro around them. Perhaps I’ll find slow release organic fertilizer to replace the 10-10-10.
I guess it might be OK to add a bit of "balanced" fertilizer if you are using legumes to fix nitrogen?
Isn't replacing the missing nutrients from our soil essentially the same thing as adding the nutrients that plants need? Seems like semantics to me. For purposes of discussion, lets assume we have perfect soil, with exactly 100% of all the nutrients that our plant needs. We then grow our plant and the plant removes the nutrients it needs (somewhat unique to the particular plant). We are then left with a nutrient deficiency equivalent to the nutrients the plant removed (ignoring for the moment the additional nutrients created by our healthy living soil). So we get a soil test and it confirms the missing nutrients are equivalent to the nutrients removed by our plant, so we add fertilizer to our soil to get it back to our 100% perfect soil. Isn't that the same thing as adding fertilizer that the particular plant needs? So how is fertilizing the soil in my example any different than fertilizing the plant?
Robert, I have learned more from your videos than all the rest I've seen. I had to relearn much of what I thought I learned from other videos. So much misinformation out there. Keep up the good work!
"Isn't replacing the missing nutrients from our soil essentially the same thing as adding the nutrients that plants need?" - no. There is a huge difference and the reason most gardeners are fertilizing wrong.
Lets say soil has no nutrients - like a potted plant in peat moss. It needs a 3-1-2 ratio.
now consider soil that has enough N, enough P but is lacking K. What should you use for fertilizer? You only add K.
P2O5 and K2O compounds do not exist in fertilizers. Likewise, Potash does not contain K2O (potassium oxide), which plants do not take up. The amount of potassium is often reported as K2O equivalent (that is, how much it would be if in K2O form), however, to allow apples-to-apples comparison between different fertilizers using different types of potash. ~wiki
It is the equivalent
In a different video you stated that fertilization depends on the soil you are working with -- that fertilizers should be used address deficiencies and not to feed plants. So the 3-1-2 ratio, is that for container gardening when using inert potting mix? Or is the 3-1-2 ratio a general rule of thumb for in-ground gardening? Thanks for the great educational garden videos, learning a lot.
The 3-1-2 is what plants use. It is not a recommended NPK for fertilizing soil that already has some nutrients.
Potting media has almost no nutrients - so use a 3-1-2.
Containers can ise 3x' as many nutrients because of limited root space.
The funny thing is that I think Worm castings has 10 / 10 /10... or close.. and it increases you plant growth by anything from double to quadruple the growth, because of the fungi and the good bacteria..
Worm castings should not have any npk listed. They just hold more nutrients in an available form than other things.
Worm casts are actually around 1.8-3.8-1.3, depending on what they are fed.
www.gardenmyths.com/vermicompost-is-it-great/
Worm castings are high in Phosphorus.
Since this is talking about plants in soil, what fertilizer should one use on plants in pots with potting mix? Is there a good slow release type? Surely potted plants need some of all three NPK. Thanks.
For plants in pots with potting mix, the best fertilizers are 10-10-10 and chicken manure😅
A ratio of 3-1-2
Osmocote
This makes sense, I'm looking for 3-1-2 now.
I like Dyna-Gro Foliage Pro 9-3-6.
I personally use Miracle-Gro 24-8-16 at half of their recommended use, biweekly on all my contained and potted outdoors plants.
@@racebiketuner ok thanks
Interested to see what this video has for me. I already know 4-1-2 is the overall ratio I want for the year but part of that is applications of 10-10-10 at certain points in the year.
Ah 3-1-2 forgot this is mostly aimed for gardens but the research on lawns is 4-1-2 just fyi. For the excesses vs fungi that is why application time matters, same basic idea for penetration levels, if you apply it in winter through organic slow release sources then those can work down and become plants available for the next growing season in spring. But if you are using a balanced year round that would be detrimental I agree.
I use fast acting highly available high nitrogen fertilizers either in tiny granular or liquid form for peak growing season. When I say high I mean 7-1-2. And I use top dressing of alfalfa meal and compost at the edges of the growth season and then balanced at the end of fall.
What if you primarily use a decent compost (high nitrogen materials supplemented with wood ash for potassium) and use the 10-10-10 to add some phosphate to that compost?
bro if 10-10-10 is really 10-4-8 then the ratio is almost 3-1-2 so why is this even worth mentioning . i love my 20-20-20 it works wonders
I prefer a 33 33 33 with 1% filler.
@@garyh4458 i use my own shit for manure and piss for water, extreme results.
Been using jacks 20 20 20 for years on everything , potted plants and fig trees as well as my garden, switch to jacks bloom booster when plants are big enough to support fruits and works great for me every year
I believe you missed his point about listen N-P-K ratios. He clarifies that N-P-K does not refer to elemental ratios of nitrogen phosphorus potassium and instead refers to the Nitrogen - Phosphate - Potash. He then instructs you to use a 3-1-2 N-P-K...meaning 3 (N) - 1 (P_2 O_5) - 2 (K_2 O). If 20-20-20 works go for it but understand that just as "10-10-10 is really 10-4-8", 3-1-2 is really 3-0.4-1.6 to put it your way.
Question is there ever a time to buy unbalanced fertilizer. For example i use a 5 1 1 for my Brassicas and a 1 5 10 for my fruit trees
Thank you Mr. P. Next time I fertilize I’ll try and find 3-1-2 fertilizer. 🌺💚🙃
Amazing how many people don’t even think before they post. Plants like all living things require different vitamins and minerals for optimal health, growth, and productivity. Just because 10-10-10 “works for you” does not mean you’re providing an optimal environment for your plants to grow and thrive. Also, just like every person is different, so are plants as well soil types and conditions.
You're one of those people who don't think before you post just like you said plants are like people everyone's different so that means you would have to actually test every single plant, separate from the soil, and fertilize it to its individual needs which is absolutely ridiculous.
I have start off with 17-17-17 and add N-P to meet the soil test recommendations. Most of thee lawns here are in the range of 25-20-15. I do however get custom mixes for pastures. Maybe you can tell me, most every lawn fertilizer I see for sale is 25>2-2. However, none of the soil tests I get back are anywhere near that. Why so much N?
Got a soil sample test done and it shows too much phosphorus and slightly below the ideal amount of potassium. They recommended 15-0-15. I was using a 24-8-16 during the seedling and vegetative state and switched to a 18-18-21 for budding, flowering, and ripening. I stopped doing this last year after watching one of your videos where you mentioned this.
Test also showed too much calcium. I read online that increasing aeration and drainage can help with lowering calcium. Soil is compacted so I’m going to double dig anyway. Old wood borders in the beds are rotting away and need to redo them. Soil is fine to about 6” then hits compacted soil. Do you know if double digging lowers calcium?
Thanks. I always love a logical argument and people who question establshed beliefs that sometimes are delusional or misrepresented. 👍👍👍 Nothing like worm juice.
A great video explained with simple examples. I have a 5 gallon bucket of miracle Gro basic forming and a 5 gallon bucket of miracle Gro acid forming. I acquired them from an old job 24 years ago. They are both still half full. During that time I’ve used them only on my home garden and vegetables, sparingly.
My dad always used 6-12-12 and always had a high producing garden
First of all, it really depends on the plant. Succulents and conifers need way less nitrogen than the deciduous plants. But they may start browning if they lack potassium, and they will eventually if you don't apply it. In fact, manure can literally kill these plants. The nitrogen will boost rapid green growth, but there will be not enough potassium to support its health. So the plant will exhaust itself.
so my takeaway from your video, the correct ratio of the 10-10-10 is actually 5-2-3 ratio, so it is close to 3-1-2
No - the 10-10-10 is not 5-2-3, its 10-10-10. The 3-1-2 is also an NPK ratio, not the amounts of P and K.
according to you: the 10-10-10 is actually 10%-4%-6% so mathematically it is the same as 5-2-3 when you divide it by 2.
@@jkbcyou are correct!😂😂
is this why people started coming up with the saying for gardening that less is more? if all you have is 10 10 10 then you better use less than needed for nitrogen or you will have more problems then using no nutes, potentially
Does using manures without composting, potentially transmit pathogens and harmful bacteria to the garden?
And is there a soil test for home gardeners that will accurately test not only for NPK but also micronutrients?
Wouldn't a foliar spray with the appropriate nutrients be just as effective as applying fertilizer to the soil?
Has anyone else noticed that academic types in various horticulture pursuits, seem to always advocate for multiple applications of fertilizer without mentioning soil testing?
This is why I tend to keep Miracid equivalent 30-10-10 around for bad rain weeks. I have all sorts of organic tricks to get long term soil health but, when nature flushes your soil out with hard water, the blue stuff works.
Both Nitrogen and phosphate contribute to algae growth and one contributes to the other and algae needs both to bloom.
What should I use to get Karl Foerster grass to bloom, as it did when I bought it? It is planted in a very big container, not in the ground. 10-10-10 is recommended online!!!???
So if a 10 - 10 - 10 is actually in content NOT 5% phosphate or 5% potassium, does the same apply to the generally and highly recommended 3 - 1 - 2 ACTUAL quantities? I assume so. In essence then the actual phosphate and potassium CONTENT is in the .5 or .8 ranges. This would indicate, and as Robert says we don't NEED as much phosphate and potassium as the marketing departments of the fertilizer companies claim.
That is for garden soil it seems. What about fruiting or flowering plants? What about potted orchids? Don’t they need phosphate to flower?? I’m still confused 😞
Use a 3-1-2 ratio fertilizer. Plants do NOT need more P to bloom.
ua-cam.com/video/hV9C39H-9Jo/v-deo.html
Sir! Thank you so much for your expert knowledge. I just found your channel Feb. 14th, 2024.
QUESTION:
WHAT IS THE BEST FORMULA FOR A KRATKY SYSTEM For 5 gallons of water for Greens? I assume there would be an increase for vegetable like Tomato & Peppers
The hydroponic formulas are Too strong and expensive. What would you recommend as a DIY mixture?
Hydroponics fertilizer requires additional micronutrients, which are not being supplied by soil. I use the blend from this video: ua-cam.com/video/vYv9iu2NI3M/v-deo.html&ab_channel=mhpgardener
Thank you
OK, you've talked me into it. Although I noticed growth when I used 10-10-10, vs. no fertilizer at all.
All my plants are potted.
Now, if I want to strengthen roots, what do I use?
And if I want my plant to flower, what do I use? This is a big problem, my plants do not flower.
Thanks.
I am no expert but find calcium nitrate helps with flowering. Someone can correct me if I’m wrong.
Any fertilizer is better than no fertilizer.
Miracle grow at half dose one time week. I used to be strictly organic for almost 20 years. I’ve got so much MG my mom bought from Costco because she has dementia. I’m glad it doesn’t expire. I use it in moderation on my plants and never had an issue. In the spring it gets my tomatoes to take off faster vs the organic fertilizers I’ve used.
Since "balanced fertilizers" actually deliver 10% N, 4% P, and 8% K, their ratio of N to P of 10 to 4 is equal to 3 to 1.2, and their ratio of N to K of 10 to 8 is equal to 3 to 2.4.
Wouldn't this distribution of 3 to 1.2 to 2.4 be fairly similar to the 3-1-2 distribution of nutrients that plants actually need?
The 3-1-2 is an NPK ratio. So it is equal to 3 parts nitrogen, 0.4 parts Phosphorus and 1.6 parts Potassium
If I missed it please forgive me. 3-1-2 is the optimal balance but what is the optimal balance in trade number descriptions please. EG 30-10-20 is not actually that hight in P and K. thanks
Also, do you have a book for potted plants which require water soluble npk ?
Hate to say this being an organic grower. But 10-10-10 miracle grow as a hydroponic nutrients was awesome. Now it's not available anymore. The new one didn't work.
Fish emulsion is a 5-1-1 and works pretty well. Given the knowledge that nitrogen moves/leaches out my containers far faster than the other two, makes sense as to why long term use of fish emulsion should be fine. As long as I don't use too much at once or too often, it seems like it makes sense at those ratios.
I just worried it would be too much nitrogen for flowering stages. I used a bloom boost product from Alaska company that makes the fish emulsion I use, and that made everything bloom like CRAZY, even my oregano which I didn't intend. I learned I definitely don't need to use that stuff in general for my garden, but it certainly helped with blooms.
What do you have to say about bloom booster products that are 0-10-10 or things with no nitrogen? Specifically for inducing blooming on already established plants?
Better off with fish hydroslate not fish emulsion.
Fish fertilizer is also one of the most expensive you can buy.
www.gardenmyths.com/fish-fertilizer-worth-buying/
Is it possible to use azalea fertilizer as a general fertilizer? I have 2 boxes and will never use it all, so want to use one of them for general use on plants.
I always had good luck with it. I use other things too.
If using compost and manure long term and a liquid 3-1-2 for the immediate demands of vegtables is okay , would using an organic 4-4-4 dry amendment in the soil along with the compost ( 1-1-1 ) and a liquid 3-1-2 as needed be similar for keeping good balance ?
I'm a little confused...in another video you pointed out that the 10-10-10 is in reality a 10-4-8 because of the O molecules in the potash and phosphate. So it seems that the 10-10-10 is in reality closer to the 3-1-2 ratio in terms of the 'actual' nutrients in the mix.
Makes sense what you suggest, but I have a small backyard and no room for an in-ground garden. I only use fabric grow bags or vertical planters on my large outdoor patio. I make my own potting mix and add different amendments. What would fertilizer, etc. would you suggest to amend the potting mix and continue to use during the growing season? I am in zone 8b.
Depends on your amendments, but if they are watered a lot so water runs out the bottom, or if the amendments are organic in nature, you can assume very low nutrients and fertilize with 3-1-2.
I use a 10 10 10 water soluble weak solution right in the root zone no where else...seems to work
It is a great starter fertilizer. When you plant a seed, it needs immediate nutrients, and it will take up what it needs. Farmers in the 50's and before used it for their crops, and their vegetables tasted wonderful. The county extension service recommended they use it.
it is not a good starter fertilizer for the reasons mentioned.
what about water soluble nutrients being fed to potted plants, does K stay at the top then? Also does 3-1-2 still pertain to water soluble fed potted plants?
What fertiliser shall I buy for my rosemary plant?? 🤔
You say 3-1-2 is balanced but doesn't it make a difference if you are in vegetative stage or flowering stage?
What about a 12-12-12 for when over seeding a lawn?
The ratio of that is no different than a 10-10-10.
my soil test recommends 12-12-12 and i cant find it locally. ok to use 13-13-13?
I get so confused about the scientific basis of gardening recommendations. For instance, this whole topic assumes the plant needs for N,P, and K stay constant over the life of the plant. Recent science suggests otherwise, right? K+ is only required later in the life cycle of a plant and is detrimental early; nitrate is a suppressant to growth early in the cycle. I'll stick with compost and let the soil biome figure it out. I think.....
I like the idea of just using compost and giving a shot of combo fertilizer when plants actually show deficiency. I'd do lab tests & really target things if running a farm or was dependent on what I grow.
Most youtubers are using like 20 bags of bone meal, kelp, rock dust, fish juice, etc lol. I'm convinced its just sponsored product pushing and a waste of money. Things that may not provide any benefit or be harmful in quantities shown. Like it all just gets too exotic.
Shelfish aren't crawling into the forest to die to fertilize the plants after all, and nature does just fine lol.
Take a soil sample. Every soil is different. My soil is low in phosphate and potassium
So correcting for the measures being in phosphate and potash a 10-10-10 fertilizer gives 2.5-1-2 NPK. As close to the perfect ratio as makes no difference?
No. A 10-10-10 gives you a 10-10-10.
Nah. Think about it in terms of this analogy for clarification! .10-10-10 : 10% (Nitrogen), 4% (Phosphorus), 8% (Potassium) as 3-1-2 : 3% (Nitrogen) , 0.4% (Phosphorus), 1.6% (Potassium). His point is the N-P-K does not refer to the elemental percentages. He then expains that plants use a 3-1-2 N-P-K.
Gardenfundamentals1Gardenfundamentals1 This is just a statement, not an answer. Does the 3:1:2 ratio refer to N:P2O5:K2O. If so, is the magic ratio of elemental nitrogen:phosphorus:potassium more like 7.5:1:5? The popular literature is just completely bonkers on this.
Where can I find a 10-0-0 fertilizer I don’t think I saw it at Walmart I live in the west part of Texas mostly dry and desert I can get my vegetables to grow but I think some nitrogen would help them a lot bc the soil here ain’t the best but it’s good.
Key Takeaway: No Soil Test? Use compost or manure instead of 10-10-10
But what about foliage vs flowers? I thought different fertilizera trigger different phases of growth?
Thankyou!! I think I was getting the too much phosphate problem
So you wouldn't recommend a bloom booster.
Or just using a 10 10 10 without a soil test...
And what about potted trees