Any idea how to avoid rain wash away fertilizer?

[wonderfruit]

I use regular fertilizer 10-10-10 and I do not see a full effect of it. I know that there is slow release fertilizers, but I m looking a practical way to make the cheap fertlizee to works. I thought something like to put a bucket in a hole and put the fertlilizee there. Does anybody has another idea or experience?

[wonderfruit]

I forgot to mention I am in south Florida. We dont have soil, we have sand

[palmcity]

I use regular fertilizer 10-10-10 and I do not see a full effect of it. I know that there is slow release fertilizers, but I m looking a practical way to make the cheap fertlizee to works. I thought something like to put a bucket in a hole and put the fertlilizee there. Does anybody has another idea or experience?

Yes "Works" is the optimum word.
google::: Quick release---They generally last for 3 to 4 weeks, depending upon temperature and rainfall. Slow-release or water-insoluble nitrogen (WIN) fertilizers are available in sulfur-coated varieties, which last for about 8 weeks, and polymer-coated varieties, which can last for about 12 weeks

If you plan on using 3 cups per tree of polymer-coated slow release once every 12 weeks, you could probably substitute 1 cup of quick release at 4 weeks, 8 weeks, and 12 weeks. Time vs. money. Unless fertilizing and exercising and visiting and talking to your plants is your thing and then it may not matter.

See 2 posts down for more rain forecasted...

[Cookie Monster]

Here in FL, it usually only takes one or two good rains for a water soluble fertilizer to disappear.

[palmcity]

Here in FL, it usually only takes one or two good rains for a water soluble fertilizer to disappear.

Unfortunately last 2 months have probably produced only 3 good rains if that here in Martin County.   But, I sure would like to see them more often.

Ok, I'll cut it up more if we are looking for more frequent significant (over 1 inch rainfall). Change it to 1/2 cup at week 2, 4, 6, 8, 10,and week 12. That should give you a good workout for fertilizing or a good psychological exam for the next office visit after talking to the plants so much.

More rain forecast.... 1/4 cup at week 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11, and week 12.


Biochar and trying to make your own substitute polymer or other substrate to hold the fertilizer a little longer like charcoal, clay, etc. might be fun again only if you have plenty of time, patience, and don't mind exercise from carrying a lot of material. But unlikely worth it for most on a small scale. 

I might try pulverized charcoal or bags of wood chips soaked in a homemade fertilizer solution at a latter time but have not yet.

[CTMIAMI]

Just had a conversation with a friend who has the sandy soil. I think the best solution is to fertigate a little with every watering. If there is no need to irrigate just fertigate the fertilizer.

[achetadomestica]

Less fertilizer more often application
I currently am fertilizing with an organic worm manure and I apply once a week
a small amount. This should keep fertilizer available at all times and if we get 5 inches of
rain it will be only a short time before more is added.
Mike

[zands]

Biochar and trying to make your own substitute polymer or other substrate to hold the fertilizer a little longer like charcoal, clay, etc. might be fun again only if you have plenty of time, patience, and don't mind exercise from carrying a lot of material. But unlikely worth it for most on a small scale. 

Clay would be number one. Mix with fertilizer, let it bake into bricks.  iow  lots of games to be played but really the easiest and best way  is  throwing chem fertilizer (even stoopid Walmart 10 10 10 with no minors) on top of five inches wood chips surrounding your fruit tree. The chem fertilizer will marry into the wood chip mulch and stay longer

[Cookie Monster]

Yep. This would be the ticket.

Just had a conversation with a friend who has the sandy soil. I think the best solution is to fertigate a little with every watering. If there is no need to irrigate just fertigate the fertilizer.

[nattyfroootz]

Build soil structure and create a diverse ecosystem of microbes and fungi.  If you treat soil as the thing that you are trying to build and grow it will have long lasting benefits and help in nutrient retention.  Also planting things like Comfrey or other bioaccumulators would help a lot.

[Cookie Monster]

It definitely does help and is one component to sustainable growing. But it's not a silver bullet, and it can be very expensive, cumbersome, and time consuming. Over the course of a decade, I laid down over 1,000 cubic yards worth of tree trimmer mulch and effectively raised my soil by about 9 inches of solid black compost over an entire 1/3 acre lot. My other lot, which is basically just loamy sand, requires more fertilizer than the mulched / composted lot. But it costed me many thousands of dollars (labor to spread mulch + tree trimmer tips) and a decade worth of decomposition. So, to be honest, I think it would have been cheaper for me to have just used slow release fertilizer for 10 years :-).

Build soil structure and create a diverse ecosystem of microbes and fungi.  If you treat soil as the thing that you are trying to build and grow it will have long lasting benefits and help in nutrient retention.  Also planting things like Comfrey or other bioaccumulators would help a lot.

[wonderfruit]

Thanks for all the different input, thoughts snd experiences.

[FrankDrebinOfFruits]

I heard from one farmer who said they take a stout auger on a drill, maybe 12" long by 1" diameter and auger down and deliver the fert directly.

Dunno if this would work with loose sand with nothing acting to prevent the sand from collapsing in on itself.