If you enjoyed this video, please "Like" and share to help increase its reach! Thanks for watching 😀TIMESTAMPS here: 0:00 How Granular Organic Fertilizers Work 2:33 Problem #1: Soil Temperature 6:22 Problem #2: Improper Application 8:05 How To Apply Organic Fertilizer 9:53 Problem #3: Soil Moisture 11:07 Fixing Soil Temperature Problems 12:21 Fertilizers That Work In All Conditions 14:36 What If My Soil Is Too Hot? 16:29 Adventures With Dale
After watching your how to build a shade cloth video, I ordered the shade cloth (through your Amazon store) and made a "make-shift" version with on-hand materials. My small struggling fruit trees made a 100% turnaround in the first week! We had record breaking temps this brutal summer here on the Texas gulf coast and your info saved my plants. Please keep the great advice coming!
Glad to hear it. Shade cloth has been pretty magical. I will not garden in the summer without it. It's critical and worth its weight in gold. It's also very useful to keep trees dormant in the winter so they don't break bud early.
You hit the nail on the head with the organic fertilizer scenario. The ironic thing is the original application is what was showing the results when the weather conditions were right. I always apply organic granules and fish emulsion when I apply my first application. I bet Dale can enjoy those treats better than us because of their superior sense of smell.
I have always found the granular+liquid fertilizer application yields the best results. The liquid fertilizers feed the plants right away, and the granular fertilizers slowly feed the soil and keep it happy. Dale is absolutely bonkers for food. I just made him 90% ground beef, string beans, carrots and rice. He was doing flips. You'd think we don't feed him or something. I've never seen anyone so excited for a meal.
In recent years, I've been using both synthetic and organic fertilizers at the same time. My plants have been noticeably happier. Here in Seattle I start my tomato plants indoors and transplant them into the garden in mid to late April to get as early a start on the season as possible. The soil is too cool to make my organic fertilizer bio-available to the plants, so I also fertilize the tomato plants with Miracle-Gro when I first set out the plants. They settle in and grow much faster than when I used to use only organic fertilizer.
Question: have you ever made or considered making a video of your supply shed and what’s in it? Covering like your fertilizers and sprays you keep on hand and when they’re useful? Thanks for all your videos! Very inspiring
I started using Jacks 10-10-10 at the end of our brutal Texas summer this year after seeing you using it and oh boy did I see a growth difference! Good stuff! (during the hottest part of the summer I only used Vermistera liquid worm castings, and it was the life line they needed to get through. I highly recommend it) 🐾Love how Dale is licking his lips waiting for the treat😄
This is the best explanation of how to use any fertilizer for ur garden in u tube channels….ur knowledge is greatly appreciated. Never get tired of listening to your talks. Thanks for sharing.😊
I think a lot of the time gardeners have problems is lack of moisture. We had severe drought, now just abnormally dry, and had to install drip emitter irrigation because I just couldn’t keep the moisture consistent. I used the shade fabric longer than usual and always mulch. We never had worms before and wondered why even though I threw everything at the garden. Well, we have worms now. I just use a bit of granular in planting holes for plants and overcast other areas. I also found we need shade to grow radishes and beets. The root crops were beautiful, not woody and tasty. Install irrigation as it will save money, time and your garden.
No more wondering about fertilizers for me... I got chickens! Other options... Nettle fertilizer for nitrogen for early season and comfrey for later in the summer for blooming and fruiting. I like using everything natural (and free ;) )as much as possible
It's very smart to acknowledge the commenters. So many youtubers ignore or even slander the commenters when, for better or worse, comments boost the algorithm. Good on ya!
Another brilliant video that covers something no one else does. Thanks again. Couple of questions: I have purchased a lot (for me) of fertilizer lately thanks to your eagle eye on the prices. What is the expected shelf life for fertilizer? do different fertilizers have different shelf lives? Also, would you do some videos on irrigation systems. I tried a pvc system this year, but it leaked so I was hand watering everyday this summer (western NC Zone 7B, now 8A). I am moving next year and would like to have an irrigation system decided. I am planning on 8 raised beds and tomatoes and zucchini in large pot/bags. I also have a few Greenstalks. I am hoping to be able to afford to make the raised beds the bottom watering ones with gravel, landscape fabric and soil. That leaves the grow bags and greenstalks. I would love to know what you use after your many years of gardening. Thanks! Lori
Unless you're in a "grassy field" that's a prairie and the biomass accumulation to breakdown is really high and equal which far outweighs a forest floor 😬
Several permaculture UA-camrs advocate using cover crops aside your vegetables for soil improvements and water conservation. In particular red and white clover. What are your thoughts on these? I see you primarily just mulch around your plants. Do you ever use cover crops? Love your channel!!
Thanks for these tips @TheMillennialGardener. I live in zone 9a. This last season, I used a combination of the Jobe's Organic Tomato Fertilizer and Lilly Miller Bone Meal (even though Lilly Miller isn't an "organic" brand, single ingredient amendments made from the bones of a vertebrate creatures would be "organic" by definition unless exposed to a lot of other contaminants.) I also did as you suggested and planted lower in the ground so the hairs on the tomato stems could become part of the root structure of the plant. Needless to say...all that extra phosphorous in the soil really kicked the flowering and fruiting into overdrive and I had the biggest tomato harvest I've ever had! I also used chopped up fir chips from an arborist chip drop as mulch to regulate temperature and preserve moisture. Thanks for the great advice and happy gardening!
Good explanation on how best to use organic fertilizers and also balanced with a choice to use other fertilizers as well. Another reason why the organic fertilizer does not always give good results if you are growing in a new bed or in containers using sterile potting mix. Potting mix and new beds do not have a lot of bioactivity and there is usually not enough soil microbes present in small containers to sustain themselves and the plants. If you are going to use organic fertilizers they need to be activated by the soil organisms. Which means you have to apply them often months before the nutrients will be needed to give the soil organisms time to build up their numbers as well as convert the nutrients into a plant available form. Many people build a new bed or start a container garden thinking that organic is the only choice without realizing that organic nutrients are not always available when plants need it most so applying the fertilizer at the same time as planting a seedling or seed does not yield a good result. Seeds and seedlings that get off to a slow start may not catch up if they miss that critical window of growth. People are also not aware that unlike conventional fertilizers, organic fertilizers may require more supplementation during certain periods of plant growth than conventional fertilizers which have higher numbers of readily available nutrients usually in more than adequate amounts for most plants. People also try to grow high feeders in a new garden when they probably should start off with a cover crop or bean instead of a tomato.
I have a large tub with a lid (and drainage holes) filled with the soil I use to plant my veggies. I mix in organic granules and lightly water in every time I fill it. By the time I use it it’s ready and also has lots of earth worms ready to go to work for me. After planting, I like fish emulsion.
Great information, as usual! Thanks for all the effort you put into your videos. They're always so interesting and I always learn so much from you. And I love watching to the end to see Dale. 🥰
I’ve watched this channel for about 3 seasons and just have to say that your breakdown and instructions on how to do everything on here is top-notch and the best I’ve seen on UA-cam. Not only do you tell us how to do it, but you also tell us why it should be done. All this info is so helpful. I’m in zone 9a in Texas and it’s hot and humid here, too. Just want to say thank you Marcus! Keep doing what you do!
You're very welcome! I'm really glad you're enjoying the videos. My name's Anthony, by the way. Being in Texas, I also recommend you watch my video on shade cloth, because it will "fix" many of the problems you have with summer climate: ua-cam.com/video/cO-U1wYGZ8Q/v-deo.htmlsi=rUtA527eEjmyrHS9
A little late here. Just gotta chime in again and say your Alaskan Fish Poo and Jack's Blossom Booster combo this past season for my hot peppers, both in pots and beds, was mind boggling. Ex...I had 14 Black Habanero pepper plants in 7 gal pots and they all were 6-7 feet tall. My small garage freezer is packed with them now. Wish you lived closer so I could unload some on you😀
This is why I have chosen to go over to full time worm casting, just one bed this year I trialled and img the difference compared to the rest…. I will be using up what I have in my cupboard but won’t be buying any more fertiliser in the future. And will be making my own. Everyone can do it but you have to want to do it and not use the stuff that you buy that may be quicker to start off with but not the best for the soil or for the living organisms in that soil. Composting worms are the way to change the world but we have to want to talk about it and learn about it Vermicompost is a mother word for the % of worm casting
@@jonathancaldwell-km5ig in 5 months you are the only person to reply…. Maybe people didn’t like what I had to say. But composting worms are in the compost they make and buy…. Makes me giggle, as people just want what’s quick and cheap. Not what’s best. I’ve seen the prices for the fertiliser he uses and it’s crazy for what it is and what it does…. Compared to the cost of worms and what you get from worm tea.
It will, but I still advocate to use the granular fertilizers, because they feed your soil biology. The liquid fertilizers feed your plants, but the granular types make for healthier soil. I would recommend using both in some fashion.
@@TheMillennialGardener Agrothrive is organic. If I’ve heard correctly I think it works with the soil biome but I use Jobes organic fertilizer and I just bought some organic chicken manure made by Epsoma. What do you think?
Uh-oh. Now I'm craving brownies and Christmas cookies 🤔😋, and beautiful citrus fruits { as seen on your bushes in the background}. Dale was like 'hey wait Dad! That dog-safe Christmas cookie 🎅is supposed to be for MEEEE!" . I like those shade cloth tunnels.
Citrus season will be soon. I just picked my first satsuma today, and it wasn't quite there yet. It needs another 2-3 weeks, I think. Citrus really helps make the winter more fun. Hopefully, we'll be a little lighter on Christmas cookies this year. Last year, they hung around into late January (and the extra weight until late March 😂).
Thanks for the knowledge, MG! 👍 I ordered 2 fig bushes in the fall of 22. I'm growing them in pots...Celeste and Violetta de Bordeaux. I got one fig...on the VDB. It took months to grow and ripen. I harvested it yesterday, and it was pretty tasty. 😋 Lots of with jelly as you say.😃 Thanks for turning me on to figs other than the Brown Turkey traditionally grown here.👍 Y'all have a beautiful Thanksgiving Day! Love to Dale! 💕
Glad to hear the crops are starting! Figs can produce profusely, but if you're going to keep them in a pot, they need a lot of water soluble fertilizer. They're one of the fruit trees that, literally, cannot get enough fertilizer. The more you give them, the more they produce. If you feed them with water soluble fertilizer every 10-14 days the moment they break dormancy, I bet you get 40-50 figs next year,
I use small amounts of urea and other synthetic fertilizers AND organic fertilizers, and compost. As you pointed out so well, organics, even compost, must be broken down by microbes before the macro nutrients are available to plants. Compost takes years to reach the, “finished,” state even though it appears finished after initially breaking down. Soil pH also can limit fertilizer availability. I have naturally acidic soil, so I add a sprinkling of dolomitic lime every time I amend the soil.
Hi, yes, you can make compost, manure or worm castings tea. However, it's harder to judge to overall nutritional makeup of these, vs buying a product with a known NPK.
Aquarium tubing and air bubble stone, HOT DAY or heating mat. DR EARTHS, worm castings, handful BLACK old dirt from under your oldest tree ( white string-like web even better) wood fire ash, MAKE YOUR SOIL A TEA. 24 hours bubble, left overs go in or on your soil, I vote DR EARTHS
Thanks for another informative video. I have always been bad about fertilizing, this is also my first year living in a place with seasons. Something I've been seeing a lot this fall, is prepping beds for spring. They advise adding slow release fertilizer, compost and mulch. But will the fertilizer break down over winter and be ready for feed my spring garden?
This is why you need to bring in fertilizers and organic matter. Most soil isn’t good to grow in. You have to bring in foreign cultures and improve it over time. If all you’ll rely on is native soil, all you’ll grow are native plants. Virtually nothing we grow in a vegetable garden are native species.
@@TheMillennialGardener That’s why I voted DR EARTH , their added mycelium along with my own that focus on my particular disease and other LOCAL environmental concerns has been working like a healthy web.
It's a good bet that the people who switched actually had delayed good results from the first fertilizer they used before switching, since it would still be decomposing and the new one wouldn't have had time to decompose yet.
Water will help make it easier to decompose, but you need micro-biology to really break it down. I would recommend mixing into soil and keeping it moist for best results.
If you put the fertilizer down too early in the season when the soil is too cold, will it start to break down later on when the soil warms up, or is it basically a waste at that point?
It will eventually break down as long as it's worked into the soil and doesn't get washed away. If you don't work it in the soil, or you get heavy rains, your soil could wash out. I don't like the idea of placing fertilizer on an empty bed, because if we have a wet winter, it'll get washed out before my plants use it. It seems like a waste of money to me. I add compost to my beds and tarp them to protect them. I don't add fertilizer until I add my plants.
I recommend cooling your soil with mulch and shade cloth. I have a segment at the end dedicated to that. The best results are going to be using those two methods. If you haven't purchased shade cloth, I cannot, cannot recommend it highly enough. It will change the way you garden. Liquid fertilizers will help, but the real solution is to cool your soil.
Epsom salt is water soluble, so it will only feed the plant. However, epsom salt is only a source of trace magnesium and sulfur, so if your plants don't have a magnesium or sulfur deficiency, it won't do much for them. These fertilizers are rich in sulfur and magnesium, so I don't have a reason to use epsom salt. If you're providing your plants with complete fertilizers, you likely won't need to use epsom salt.
I would not recommend *only* using soluble fertilizers, because they don't benefit your soil. My favorite thing to do during the warm season with heavy feeding plants is to work the organic fertilizers into the soil, then wet them down with half-strength water soluble fertilizer. That's a really effective one-two punch.
Liquid fertilizer is good for plants, but it doesn’t build soil. My procedure is to feed the soil first, and any leftover boosts the plants may need is through liquid fertilizer. I consider the granulated to be the “core diet” and liquid to be like supplements, if that makes sense. If I don’t need it, I won’t use it.
I've never had an issue with it attracting anything. Some say it does, but if your garden is properly fenced, it should not be an issue. I consider fences 100% mandatory.
Not at all. The fertilizers are granulated in order to break down more quickly. They start to break down in a matter of a couple weeks. Most annuals live for 3-6 months or more depending on what you're planting, and obviously for fruit trees, they work fantastic.
It depends on how hot. Keep in mind plants naturally slow down in heat due to stress. If you use shade cloth overhead, everything will function better in the heat.
@@TheMillennialGardener My next buy because in some locations I need it and then on other parts of the property the house gives afternoon shade from the deck. So its always a battle. More sun but can get burn or less sun and slower growing and possible less tomatoes.
Even some of the most popular organic fertilizers are still obtaining some of their ingredients from GMO sources. Cotton seed is GMO. Soy is, most of the time, GMO or highly processed. Bloodmeal, bonemeal, are usually from the meat industry, which is 80% GMO and glyphosate tainted, depending on the animal feed and the quality of the pasture. Pasture raised dairy cows are still fed supplementally, while they are being milked. Microbes, fungi, bacteria, although they do not have brains are highly intelligent. Seems at times more than the humans. They either know what they need or different genetic codes within that whole system just shut off because of all the various genetic modifications that, at this point in history, is difficult to trace. I am learning how to apply all this information and realizing that although there are so many companies and choices, I don’t have many choices when it comes to growing my own food the way that I want to, without doing a ton of research first.
If it’s so hot or so cold that organic fertilizers aren’t breaking down, it’s probably ALSO too hot or cold for your plants to be growing and needing fertilizer anyway. Isn’t it? Maybe it varies with how well that variety of plant handles the heat or cold?
In most cases, yes. However, some vegetables still grow when it's pretty cold out. Leaf lettuces, kale, garlic, radishes, carrots, greens like arugula, cilantro, dill, etc., they will push out growth when it's really chilly, and when we get the brief warm-ups and things bump into the 50's and 60's during winter warm fronts, they can really flush growth. And of course, anyone can build a really cheap row cover out of 1/2-inch PVC pipe and row covers, which can keep you growing all winter. Even when it's freezing out, it can be 60-70 degrees under a row cover.
If you enjoyed this video, please "Like" and share to help increase its reach! Thanks for watching 😀TIMESTAMPS here:
0:00 How Granular Organic Fertilizers Work
2:33 Problem #1: Soil Temperature
6:22 Problem #2: Improper Application
8:05 How To Apply Organic Fertilizer
9:53 Problem #3: Soil Moisture
11:07 Fixing Soil Temperature Problems
12:21 Fertilizers That Work In All Conditions
14:36 What If My Soil Is Too Hot?
16:29 Adventures With Dale
After watching your how to build a shade cloth video, I ordered the shade cloth (through your Amazon store) and made a "make-shift" version with on-hand materials. My small struggling fruit trees made a 100% turnaround in the first week! We had record breaking temps this brutal summer here on the Texas gulf coast and your info saved my plants. Please keep the great advice coming!
Glad to hear it. Shade cloth has been pretty magical. I will not garden in the summer without it. It's critical and worth its weight in gold. It's also very useful to keep trees dormant in the winter so they don't break bud early.
I live in southern cali and those shade clothes are the difference between having food and no food 😂
You hit the nail on the head with the organic fertilizer scenario. The ironic thing is the original application is what was showing the results when the weather conditions were right. I always apply organic granules and fish emulsion when I apply my first application. I bet Dale can enjoy those treats better than us because of their superior sense of smell.
I have always found the granular+liquid fertilizer application yields the best results. The liquid fertilizers feed the plants right away, and the granular fertilizers slowly feed the soil and keep it happy. Dale is absolutely bonkers for food. I just made him 90% ground beef, string beans, carrots and rice. He was doing flips. You'd think we don't feed him or something. I've never seen anyone so excited for a meal.
@@TheMillennialGardener Dale is a gem ! You two were made for each other!
In recent years, I've been using both synthetic and organic fertilizers at the same time. My plants have been noticeably happier.
Here in Seattle I start my tomato plants indoors and transplant them into the garden in mid to late April to get as early a start on the season as possible. The soil is too cool to make my organic fertilizer bio-available to the plants, so I also fertilize the tomato plants with Miracle-Gro when I first set out the plants. They settle in and grow much faster than when I used to use only organic fertilizer.
I do the same thing because of this very reason!
Question: have you ever made or considered making a video of your supply shed and what’s in it? Covering like your fertilizers and sprays you keep on hand and when they’re useful? Thanks for all your videos! Very inspiring
I actually have. It's on my to-do list for my smaller channel, 2 minute garden tips.
I started using Jacks 10-10-10 at the end of our brutal Texas summer this year after seeing you using it and oh boy did I see a growth difference! Good stuff! (during the hottest part of the summer I only used Vermistera liquid worm castings, and it was the life line they needed to get through. I highly recommend it)
🐾Love how Dale is licking his lips waiting for the treat😄
If you don’t mulch you’re missing the boat!
Love DR Earth organics!
This is the best explanation of how to use any fertilizer for ur garden in u tube channels….ur knowledge is greatly appreciated. Never get tired of listening to your talks. Thanks for sharing.😊
Thank you! I'm glad the video was helpful. Hopefully it benefits a lot of people.
I think a lot of the time gardeners have problems is lack of moisture. We had severe drought, now just abnormally dry, and had to install drip emitter irrigation because I just couldn’t keep the moisture consistent. I used the shade fabric longer than usual and always mulch. We never had worms before and wondered why even though I threw everything at the garden. Well, we have worms now. I just use a bit of granular in planting holes for plants and overcast other areas.
I also found we need shade to grow radishes and beets. The root crops were beautiful, not woody and tasty.
Install irrigation as it will save money, time and your garden.
No more wondering about fertilizers for me... I got chickens!
Other options... Nettle fertilizer for nitrogen for early season and comfrey for later in the summer for blooming and fruiting. I like using everything natural (and free ;) )as much as possible
It's very smart to acknowledge the commenters. So many youtubers ignore or even slander the commenters when, for better or worse, comments boost the algorithm. Good on ya!
Another reason that fertilizers may not work is ph. Soil that is above about 7 makes it difficult for plants to take up nutrients.
Another brilliant video that covers something no one else does. Thanks again. Couple of questions: I have purchased a lot (for me) of fertilizer lately thanks to your eagle eye on the prices. What is the expected shelf life for fertilizer? do different fertilizers have different shelf lives?
Also, would you do some videos on irrigation systems. I tried a pvc system this year, but it leaked so I was hand watering everyday this summer (western NC Zone 7B, now 8A). I am moving next year and would like to have an irrigation system decided. I am planning on 8 raised beds and tomatoes and zucchini in large pot/bags. I also have a few Greenstalks. I am hoping to be able to afford to make the raised beds the bottom watering ones with gravel, landscape fabric and soil. That leaves the grow bags and greenstalks. I would love to know what you use after your many years of gardening. Thanks!
Lori
Chicken manure works for me. Thank you for the great videos.
You're welcome!
This video was or is extremely helpful. So much valuable information. Thank you.
Unless you're in a "grassy field" that's a prairie and the biomass accumulation to breakdown is really high and equal which far outweighs a forest floor 😬
Several permaculture UA-camrs advocate using cover crops aside your vegetables for soil improvements and water conservation. In particular red and white clover. What are your thoughts on these? I see you primarily just mulch around your plants. Do you ever use cover crops?
Love your channel!!
Thanks for these tips @TheMillennialGardener. I live in zone 9a. This last season, I used a combination of the Jobe's Organic Tomato Fertilizer and Lilly Miller Bone Meal (even though Lilly Miller isn't an "organic" brand, single ingredient amendments made from the bones of a vertebrate creatures would be "organic" by definition unless exposed to a lot of other contaminants.) I also did as you suggested and planted lower in the ground so the hairs on the tomato stems could become part of the root structure of the plant. Needless to say...all that extra phosphorous in the soil really kicked the flowering and fruiting into overdrive and I had the biggest tomato harvest I've ever had! I also used chopped up fir chips from an arborist chip drop as mulch to regulate temperature and preserve moisture. Thanks for the great advice and happy gardening!
🤯🤯🤯Mind Blown. Im a new gardener and I cannot believe all this info I never would have never known! Thank you!
Fantastic... thanks so much for the vital information!
Good explanation on how best to use organic fertilizers and also balanced with a choice to use other fertilizers as well. Another reason why the organic fertilizer does not always give good results if you are growing in a new bed or in containers using sterile potting mix. Potting mix and new beds do not have a lot of bioactivity and there is usually not enough soil microbes present in small containers to sustain themselves and the plants. If you are going to use organic fertilizers they need to be activated by the soil organisms. Which means you have to apply them often months before the nutrients will be needed to give the soil organisms time to build up their numbers as well as convert the nutrients into a plant available form. Many people build a new bed or start a container garden thinking that organic is the only choice without realizing that organic nutrients are not always available when plants need it most so applying the fertilizer at the same time as planting a seedling or seed does not yield a good result. Seeds and seedlings that get off to a slow start may not catch up if they miss that critical window of growth. People are also not aware that unlike conventional fertilizers, organic fertilizers may require more supplementation during certain periods of plant growth than conventional fertilizers which have higher numbers of readily available nutrients usually in more than adequate amounts for most plants. People also try to grow high feeders in a new garden when they probably should start off with a cover crop or bean instead of a tomato.
I have a large tub with a lid (and drainage holes) filled with the soil I use to plant my veggies. I mix in organic granules and lightly water in every time I fill it.
By the time I use it it’s ready and also has lots of earth worms ready to go to work for me.
After planting, I like fish emulsion.
Great information, as usual! Thanks for all the effort you put into your videos. They're always so interesting and I always learn so much from you. And I love watching to the end to see Dale. 🥰
You're welcome! I appreciate that. Dale says hello 🐶
I’ve watched this channel for about 3 seasons and just have to say that your breakdown and instructions on how to do everything on here is top-notch and the best I’ve seen on UA-cam. Not only do you tell us how to do it, but you also tell us why it should be done. All this info is so helpful. I’m in zone 9a in Texas and it’s hot and humid here, too. Just want to say thank you Marcus! Keep doing what you do!
You're very welcome! I'm really glad you're enjoying the videos. My name's Anthony, by the way. Being in Texas, I also recommend you watch my video on shade cloth, because it will "fix" many of the problems you have with summer climate: ua-cam.com/video/cO-U1wYGZ8Q/v-deo.htmlsi=rUtA527eEjmyrHS9
So simple and common sense points, but I didn’t even think about throwing my compost on top of my fertilizer. Thanks
It's not something most people think about. I'm glad the video could be helpful.
This video is packed with great info. Thanks!!
Thanks. Great video. You're an awesome critical thinker. Most gardening channels lack good critical thinking. A+ here!
Excellent video. So many gardeners don't realize this and now I can send your video to them. You explain it perfectly!
I’m glad I could help!
A little late here. Just gotta chime in again and say your Alaskan Fish Poo and Jack's Blossom Booster combo this past season for my hot peppers, both in pots and beds, was mind boggling. Ex...I had 14 Black Habanero pepper plants in 7 gal pots and they all were 6-7 feet tall. My small garage freezer is packed with them now. Wish you lived closer so I could unload some on you😀
I like garden-tone, it has strains of bacteria in the fertilizer already. But I usually make worm tea because it’s amazing.
YOU ARE RIGHT ON i recently learn that lactobacillus help decompose the fertilizer which then become bioavailable to the plant
Soil cultures countless bacteria and fungi. They're hard at work helping things grow.
Wow! This was such an excellent presentation. Thank you.
You're welcome! I'm glad you found it helpful.
This is why I have chosen to go over to full time worm casting, just one bed this year I trialled and img the difference compared to the rest…. I will be using up what I have in my cupboard but won’t be buying any more fertiliser in the future. And will be making my own. Everyone can do it but you have to want to do it and not use the stuff that you buy that may be quicker to start off with but not the best for the soil or for the living organisms in that soil.
Composting worms are the way to change the world but we have to want to talk about it and learn about it
Vermicompost is a mother word for the % of worm casting
Me too, I made a vortex aerator years ago to brew worm tea from castings and plants love it.
@@jonathancaldwell-km5ig in 5 months you are the only person to reply…. Maybe people didn’t like what I had to say.
But composting worms are in the compost they make and buy…. Makes me giggle, as people just want what’s quick and cheap. Not what’s best.
I’ve seen the prices for the fertiliser he uses and it’s crazy for what it is and what it does…. Compared to the cost of worms and what you get from worm tea.
I use Agrothrive, its already pre digested and works in all temperatures.
It will, but I still advocate to use the granular fertilizers, because they feed your soil biology. The liquid fertilizers feed your plants, but the granular types make for healthier soil. I would recommend using both in some fashion.
@@TheMillennialGardener Agrothrive is organic. If I’ve heard correctly I think it works with the soil biome but I use Jobes organic fertilizer and I just bought some organic chicken manure made by Epsoma. What do you think?
@@TheMillennialGardener Great idea, thanks.
Very helpful video. I appreciate the "brownie" model!
Everyone loves a good brownie 😄
Interesting, great info. My pup Henry says Hi to Dale 🐕🐾💞
Aww. Tell Henry we said hi!
Uh-oh. Now I'm craving brownies and Christmas cookies 🤔😋, and beautiful citrus fruits { as seen on your bushes in the background}. Dale was like 'hey wait Dad! That dog-safe Christmas cookie 🎅is supposed to be for MEEEE!" . I like those shade cloth tunnels.
Citrus season will be soon. I just picked my first satsuma today, and it wasn't quite there yet. It needs another 2-3 weeks, I think. Citrus really helps make the winter more fun. Hopefully, we'll be a little lighter on Christmas cookies this year. Last year, they hung around into late January (and the extra weight until late March 😂).
Have you used Neptune’s Harvest? Love to know your thoughts, it’s supposed to be less smelly than 5-1-1.
Thanks for the knowledge, MG! 👍
I ordered 2 fig bushes in the fall of 22. I'm growing them in pots...Celeste and Violetta de Bordeaux. I got one fig...on the VDB. It took months to grow and ripen. I harvested it yesterday, and it was pretty tasty. 😋 Lots of with jelly as you say.😃
Thanks for turning me on to figs other than the Brown Turkey traditionally grown here.👍
Y'all have a beautiful Thanksgiving Day! Love to Dale! 💕
Glad to hear the crops are starting! Figs can produce profusely, but if you're going to keep them in a pot, they need a lot of water soluble fertilizer. They're one of the fruit trees that, literally, cannot get enough fertilizer. The more you give them, the more they produce. If you feed them with water soluble fertilizer every 10-14 days the moment they break dormancy, I bet you get 40-50 figs next year,
@TheMillennialGardener Thank you for the much needed advice..I will!😃
I use small amounts of urea and other synthetic fertilizers AND organic fertilizers, and compost. As you pointed out so well, organics, even compost, must be broken down by microbes before the macro nutrients are available to plants. Compost takes years to reach the, “finished,” state even though it appears finished after initially breaking down. Soil pH also can limit fertilizer availability. I have naturally acidic soil, so I add a sprinkling of dolomitic lime every time I amend the soil.
Always good to check pH, should be 6 to 7
Very helpful Anthony. Thank you for sharing. Best wishes Jason from Melbourne Australia.
I appreciate it! Thanks so much for watching!
That makes all the sense.
I appreciate it! Thanks for watching!
That actually fuels My Fire two pump all my fertilizers through my drip tape
Fertigation is great. You can really see good results if you place the organic fertilizers along the drip tape and lightly work it into the soil.
Would it be wise to make a 'tea' with your compost and granular fertilizer?
Hi, yes, you can make compost, manure or worm castings tea. However, it's harder to judge to overall nutritional makeup of these, vs buying a product with a known NPK.
My container gardening always suck. Always a deficiency or something. Im really considering using chemical fertilizer on them or liquid feed
That’s what I would recommend. Container gardens aren’t natural. They are manmade and benefit from human intervention.
Organic Fungi compost is interesting 🤔🍄
This is excellent! Thank you!!!❤
Thank you. You always explain so. Clearly. Love ur channel
Thank you so much! I really appreciate it.
Omg you are so right!!! Thank you again! I learn so much from all your videos 😊
I'm so happy to hear that! I'm glad to help.
When you mention soil temperature- at what depth do you aim for
Aquarium tubing and air bubble stone, HOT DAY or heating mat. DR EARTHS, worm castings, handful BLACK old dirt from under your oldest tree ( white string-like web even better) wood fire ash, MAKE YOUR SOIL A TEA. 24 hours bubble, left overs go in or on your soil, I vote DR EARTHS
Worm casting are the way to truly help your soul produce better crops
Very informative, thank you! I definitely needed to hear this.
You’re welcome! Glad it was helpful!
Thanks for another informative video. I have always been bad about fertilizing, this is also my first year living in a place with seasons. Something I've been seeing a lot this fall, is prepping beds for spring. They advise adding slow release fertilizer, compost and mulch. But will the fertilizer break down over winter and be ready for feed my spring garden?
Oh great... now I want brownies and cookies 🥴😋😉
Great info 😊
If you eat them with salad, it counts as a vegetable 🥦
SOIL CHOSES ITS FOOD , and uses it when it’s within TEMPS it likes to eat or utilize its resources
This is why you need to bring in fertilizers and organic matter. Most soil isn’t good to grow in. You have to bring in foreign cultures and improve it over time. If all you’ll rely on is native soil, all you’ll grow are native plants. Virtually nothing we grow in a vegetable garden are native species.
@@TheMillennialGardener That’s why I voted DR EARTH , their added mycelium along with my own that focus on my particular disease and other LOCAL environmental concerns has been working like a healthy web.
Thank you for the information MG! 👍
You're welcome!
Great Video!
Thanks for the great tips!
You're welcome!
Excellent! Many thanks.
You are welcome!
Great info as usual!!
Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for watching!
Outstanding video - thank you!
You're welcome! Thanks for watching!
Thanks! More excellent advice!
Glad it was helpful! Thanks for watching!
It's a good bet that the people who switched actually had delayed good results from the first fertilizer they used before switching, since it would still be decomposing and the new one wouldn't have had time to decompose yet.
Thank you!
You're welcome! Thanks for watching!
Very helpful!
Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for watching!
thank you ! so helpful
Glad it was helpful! Thanks for watching!
Great expiation! Thanks!
You’re welcome!
Great info , thx
You're welcome!
I mixed mykoys with dr earth and osmocote in a jar and used it as a prep plant fertilizer and have been getting great results this year 9B Houston
Great video.
Thank you! I appreciate it!
This is hard. It doesnt get to 55 degrees soil until May.
If you build a small hoop structure and install row covers like I do, the soil will warm up quickly. You don’t need to be at the mercy of the weather.
I need to.water...cant believe it..all chsnces of rain have fizzled for a year now.
Which part of Florida did you choose?
An hour northeast of Orlando.
🤔 since i already have it Im thinking to let it dissolve as much as possible in warm water and fish emulsion then pour it in.
Water will help make it easier to decompose, but you need micro-biology to really break it down. I would recommend mixing into soil and keeping it moist for best results.
If you put the fertilizer down too early in the season when the soil is too cold, will it start to break down later on when the soil warms up, or is it basically a waste at that point?
It will eventually break down as long as it's worked into the soil and doesn't get washed away. If you don't work it in the soil, or you get heavy rains, your soil could wash out. I don't like the idea of placing fertilizer on an empty bed, because if we have a wet winter, it'll get washed out before my plants use it. It seems like a waste of money to me. I add compost to my beds and tarp them to protect them. I don't add fertilizer until I add my plants.
@@TheMillennialGardener Thanks for the info. Love your content!
So should we not be making soil amendments in the fall? I always thought was the ideal time. I'm in zone 7
I made a video about your question here: ua-cam.com/video/OZlNi55mhcs/v-deo.htmlsi=ZhACQQWQeEQ4ko5L
Alaska fish 5.1.1 has went to $27
Prices always rise. It's cheaper than that on Amazon.
@@TheMillennialGardener always used it. No more. That's triple what it was
I try not to use these kind of fertilizers. I use homemade compost, nettle and comfrey tea ☕️
Great Info but what can you use if its August and the soil is too hot? Will liquid fertilizer work better or does the same rule apply to liquid?
I recommend cooling your soil with mulch and shade cloth. I have a segment at the end dedicated to that. The best results are going to be using those two methods. If you haven't purchased shade cloth, I cannot, cannot recommend it highly enough. It will change the way you garden. Liquid fertilizers will help, but the real solution is to cool your soil.
@@TheMillennialGardener I started using shade cloth this past summer thanks to your videos, it does make a big difference
What about Epsom salts when planting?
Epsom salt is water soluble, so it will only feed the plant. However, epsom salt is only a source of trace magnesium and sulfur, so if your plants don't have a magnesium or sulfur deficiency, it won't do much for them. These fertilizers are rich in sulfur and magnesium, so I don't have a reason to use epsom salt. If you're providing your plants with complete fertilizers, you likely won't need to use epsom salt.
@@TheMillennialGardener Thank you!
I always mix soluble fertilizers at half strength and they seem to work well
I would not recommend *only* using soluble fertilizers, because they don't benefit your soil. My favorite thing to do during the warm season with heavy feeding plants is to work the organic fertilizers into the soil, then wet them down with half-strength water soluble fertilizer. That's a really effective one-two punch.
😍🐕❤
I’m had a issue with a fertilizer how to use it
I hope this video helped.
@@TheMillennialGardener since I am found your channel my garden gotten a lot improved,but still learning about fertilizer thank again.
Wouldn’t it be better to use liquid fertiliser so it’s readily available to the plants
Liquid fertilizer is good for plants, but it doesn’t build soil. My procedure is to feed the soil first, and any leftover boosts the plants may need is through liquid fertilizer. I consider the granulated to be the “core diet” and liquid to be like supplements, if that makes sense. If I don’t need it, I won’t use it.
Does the fish fertilizer draw raccoons!
I've never had an issue with it attracting anything. Some say it does, but if your garden is properly fenced, it should not be an issue. I consider fences 100% mandatory.
I'll stick with my composted chicken manure
THIRD
In other words, by the time the organic fertilizer breaks down, the growing season is finished.
Not at all. The fertilizers are granulated in order to break down more quickly. They start to break down in a matter of a couple weeks. Most annuals live for 3-6 months or more depending on what you're planting, and obviously for fruit trees, they work fantastic.
Great information! :) as always. So when it gets hot out probly need to use a liquid fertilizer? :)
It depends on how hot. Keep in mind plants naturally slow down in heat due to stress. If you use shade cloth overhead, everything will function better in the heat.
@@TheMillennialGardener My next buy because in some locations I need it and then on other parts of the property the house gives afternoon shade from the deck. So its always a battle. More sun but can get burn or less sun and slower growing and possible less tomatoes.
Even some of the most popular organic fertilizers are still obtaining some of their ingredients from GMO sources. Cotton seed is GMO. Soy is, most of the time, GMO or highly processed. Bloodmeal, bonemeal, are usually from the meat industry, which is 80% GMO and glyphosate tainted, depending on the animal feed and the quality of the pasture. Pasture raised dairy cows are still fed supplementally, while they are being milked. Microbes, fungi, bacteria, although they do not have brains are highly intelligent. Seems at times more than the humans. They either know what they need or different genetic codes within that whole system just shut off because of all the various genetic modifications that, at this point in history, is difficult to trace. I am learning how to apply all this information and realizing that although there are so many companies and choices, I don’t have many choices when it comes to growing my own food the way that I want to, without doing a ton of research first.
Marcus, you deserve kudos for this presentation! Your explanation of these challenges with fertilizer working properly is THE BEST! 💜💜
If it’s so hot or so cold that organic fertilizers aren’t breaking down, it’s probably ALSO too hot or cold for your plants to be growing and needing fertilizer anyway. Isn’t it? Maybe it varies with how well that variety of plant handles the heat or cold?
In most cases, yes. However, some vegetables still grow when it's pretty cold out. Leaf lettuces, kale, garlic, radishes, carrots, greens like arugula, cilantro, dill, etc., they will push out growth when it's really chilly, and when we get the brief warm-ups and things bump into the 50's and 60's during winter warm fronts, they can really flush growth. And of course, anyone can build a really cheap row cover out of 1/2-inch PVC pipe and row covers, which can keep you growing all winter. Even when it's freezing out, it can be 60-70 degrees under a row cover.
Well done!
What a great explanation. Thank you!
You're welcome! Thanks for watching!