Fertilizer and other increases. How is it affecting you how are U adapting?

[CTMIAMI]

https://www.amazon.com/Osmocote-Outdoor-Smart-Release-8-Pound-Fertilizer/dp/B00GTDGMHC/ref=sr_1_3?crid=15HL3BDCZ0QBC&keywords=osmocote%2Bplus&qid=1652269905&s=lawn-garden&sprefix=osmocote%2Clawngarden%2C438&sr=1-3&th=1
In November 20, 2021 I purchased this Osmocote Plus in Amazon for $11.00 for the 8 lb bag. I saw it in Lowes for $30.00, now is $29.99 in Amazon.
At Nutrient, a commercial Agri Supply I have been buying Urea  for 50 lb bag for $16-17 now is $27.00
Diesel from $2.50 to almost $6 a gal.
And so on with every supply that I need to grow my trees well..
 
I'm irrigating less and using less fertilizer and hope the growers get better prices this year if, not it will be difficult for many.

[hammer524]

I also hopped on that Amazon deal at the time and have a few bags of osmocote tucked away.

 I’m not agriculture expert by any means but it is alarming. In the southwest we are starting to face water restrictions and I haven’t looked lately on how  that might impact food supply on water intensive crops. One thing I did find out is while Brazil is a major food exporter they don’t produce much fertilizer in the country. By the end of the year international food security is likely to become a large concern. I’d reckon that the west will be okay but sub Saharan Africa, Middle East and south east Asia will be heavily effected. From what I recall food insecurity was one of the major factors of the Arab Spring. With everything else going on the world it’s tough to try to look in a crystal ball and make predictions on near future outcomes. But I have probably been locked inside too much due to COVID that I don’t want to be a doomer.

[brian]

I stocked up many years supply when it was $11, though, maybe prices will recover by the time I run out

I guess at some point chemical fertilizer isn't cost effective and composting starts to look attractive even for the lazy like me.

[elouicious]

Wrong part of the forum but-

I also stocked up an a decent amount although not a years supply like brian-

Chickens are a good source of natural fertilizer (manure) that have alot of other benefits for the garden but the reality is you still need stuff for micronutrients etc

[MotherofDragons]

It's getting a little crazy. The prices of trees in retail settings are skyrocketing as well. I know most here trade and buy from each other, but if you need something from a big box or nursery expect those to be higher too. Took a trip to my favorite nursery for Mother's Day that is already a bit pricey and they raised the price of their 5g trees; 5g citrus went up to $65 and change. Even Home Depot Raised theirs to $40.

As for fertilizer, I'm not far enough into my Food Forest adventure to have a strict regimen or even brand loyalty. I'm hoping to really get into composting this year to help naturally build soil and invite bugs to do the garden-work. I exercise a chop and drop method of weed control, so everything goes back to the soil. Honestly, I don't even chop it all, so the dried foxtail grass left standing becomes mulch later, etc. I recycle and reuse whatever I can! Mulching is supposed to be an incredible way to build soil quickly, but I hear horror stories about using chip-drop in my area. Might be brave enough to try soon though.

[nattyfroootz]

Not too bad, neighbors still drive by and drop off horse manure for f ree 

[elouicious]

Do not use chipdrop-

I still have a pile of 4ft long 1ft across pecan logs that take a day to get through with a maul

[Epicatt2]

I, too, bought a couple extra bags of that Osmocote while that sale was on and, like at least one poster (in this same thread), I was later startled by how much other vendors are now asking for the same item.  I'll bet it goes even higher before things settle back down.  Grrrrr!

My problem currently is finding bales of milled sphagnum moss to include in my potting mix recipe.  It's pretty much out of stock at the HD, Lowes, Wallmart, Target, etc.! here in the Tampa, FL area.

The two or three places where I did see milled sphagnum offered online were asking (for about a 3 cu ft bale) in the $30 to $40+ range –then plus more than $25 to ship the stuff which is more that double what I've been accustomed to paying at HD.  Grrrr, again!

Fingers X-ed that the supply chain loosens back up soon.  (Should be maybe administer the supply chain some Ipecac?)

Paul M.
==

[spaugh]

I got tired of buying fertilizer and got more chickens instead.  We sell the eggs and turn a profit and use the waste for fertilizer.  Win win.

Theres a lot of demand for good eggs.  People come for the eggs and buy avocados or whatever else we have in season. 

[slopat]

Definetely a win-win no compromise loss with chickens. My daughter's chickens work until they retire. About 80% of our kitchen green waste gets processed by the chickens. Then the "amended" pine shavings/straw goes into the compost pile with the other 20% and yard refuse.

Good fresh eggs and compost for the plants. The 10 year old retiree "managees" the young (8 month olds) flock for  us. Talk about a stern and vicious overload. I mix the chicken compost with a couple of yards from the calpoly dairy and along occasionally with fish emulsion, seems good enough for the for the year. I do have a couple of bags of the $11 deal and some other organic just in case.

Water is the greater concern this year. Those who have been conserving too well are getting squeegeed big time.

[K-Rimes]

Definetely a win-win no compromise loss with chickens. My daughter's chickens work until they retire. About 80% of our kitchen green waste gets processed by the chickens. Then the "amended" pine shavings/straw goes into the compost pile with the other 20% and yard refuse.

Good fresh eggs and compost for the plants. The 10 year old retiree "managees" the young (8 month olds) flock for  us. Talk about a stern and vicious overload. I mix the chicken compost with a couple of yards from the calpoly dairy and along occasionally with fish emulsion, seems good enough for the for the year. I do have a couple of bags of the $11 deal and some other organic just in case.

Water is the greater concern this year. Those who have been conserving too well are getting squeegeed big time.

Would love to do the same but coyotes and wild cats would be at my door every day for them where I'm at...

[RodneyS]

I recommend DIY worm compost bins.  I feed them scraps from the kitchen & garden, including moringa, longevity spinach & Okinawan spinach, so their castings have a wide spectrum of nutrients.  Bins are simple to make, and I believe worms are still inexpensive.  I used to do actively aerated compost tea, but now just fill up a 5 gal bucket with water and some castings, and water with that every week or 2.

[spaugh]

Definetely a win-win no compromise loss with chickens. My daughter's chickens work until they retire. About 80% of our kitchen green waste gets processed by the chickens. Then the "amended" pine shavings/straw goes into the compost pile with the other 20% and yard refuse.

Good fresh eggs and compost for the plants. The 10 year old retiree "managees" the young (8 month olds) flock for  us. Talk about a stern and vicious overload. I mix the chicken compost with a couple of yards from the calpoly dairy and along occasionally with fish emulsion, seems good enough for the for the year. I do have a couple of bags of the $11 deal and some other organic just in case.

Water is the greater concern this year. Those who have been conserving too well are getting squeegeed big time.

Would love to do the same but coyotes and wild cats would be at my door every day for them where I'm at...

ive been lucky and not lost any chickens.  Thry are programmed to go in the coop at night.  The coyotes and bobcats and racoons are out only at night here. 

[Lovetoplant]

What will you do to the hens whose not laying any more eggs?  Giving them away?

[achetadomestica]

I was talking to a fertilizer company ( Diamond R) and they said fertilizer is only
good for one season? It may not be a great idea to stock pile it?
I am equally shocked whenever I buy anything. Diamond R 8-4-8
was $12.99 for 50lbs a couple years ago and they had a slight increase
and back then they said it was their first price increase ever
Now it's 25.99 for the same bag. Meanwhile our government
says inflation is 8% now. I wish

[JCorte]

I have two compost tumblers where I put all our kitchen waste.  Added worms over a decade ago.  Worms sustain their own population and I add crushed egg shells and shrimp or crab meal, rock dusts (azomite, granite, green sand) for micronutrients along with biochar.  I don’t worry about carbon/nitrogen ratio and don’t turn the inputs, just let the worms do all the work.  I am always amazed how it gets transformed after a few months.  I just sifted several buckets full to feed my plants for spring.  I kept a couple rabbits and chickens for 8 years and decided to take a break a few months before Covid lockdowns (bad timing on my part).  Definitely will be bringing animals back, but for now composting for my fertility needs.



Janet

[mbmango]

Good for 1 season, so you'll buy more next season   Store it properly, and it should last a long time (dry ferts at least).

[slopat]

Once retired when the eggs stop, they continue to take care of the slugs, snails, most bugs, low hanging grapes and unprotected vegetables, and provide the compost material. Living the good life. They do seem to start acting like dogs a bit as they age, in other ways like kids... freeloaders.   Sadly,  a couple if them died of old age earlier this year, lasting 7 and 10 years hence the remaining grumpy 10+ year old and new youngsters. Cheaper and easier pets than dogs plus fresh eggs again after a dry spell.

Regarding predators,  raccoons,  their coop is built like fort Knox,  hardware cloth all the way around except for siding and doors, asphalt singled roof like a normal house, concrete filled cinder blocks a foot deep for perimeter to fasten down the walls with j hooks, 6 inches of tampered gravel topped with sand (good enough for pavers). Nice run and space under the coop. Plenty of room to keep 4 or 5 birds if i don't want to let them out or am away as its designed for 12, just have to make sure there's enough food and water.

What will you do to the hens whose not laying any more eggs?  Giving them away?

[Tang Tonic]

I love my chickens, except for the fact that they are free range and can cause some problems because of that.  They can be a bit mischievous lol.

I have been practicing JADAM for awhile now and happy with the results.  Essentially taking crop wastes and indigenous micro organisms and making various solutions.  I also was given tons of fish guts and made KNF fish amino acid (far superior to fish emulsion and hydrolysate IMO).

We have a composting toilet and have been making charcoal for years which gets mixed into the composting toilet with mulch and then ends up on our land 6 months later.

Now we are getting pulses of Sargassum seaweed.  I have found places along the shoreline where it collects and is loaded with earthworms.

These practices give a feeling of sovereignty when living on a small island with limited resources. There is so much more too.  People who live on large continental land masses have no idea how many valuable nutrient inputs just go to waste.

 

[Fruit Jungle]

People are still giving away horse manure, food scraps, grow legumes, city mulch, your urine

[K-Rimes]

People are still giving away horse manure, food scraps, grow legumes, city mulch, your urine

I strongly caution against using, at least, the local dump mulch here in California. Full of eucalyptus and agave and it sends your plants backwards. Probably fine for succulent gardens and palms but not appreciated by any fruit tree I've put it on.

[slopat]

Isn't there some warnings about some herbicides that may not be adequately brokendown? Sprayed hay eaten by horses and composted that still has residuals?

And after reading the other thread about septic tanks, precautions should be taken to "test" municipal stuff before applying or simply avoiding for edibles.

[Fruit Jungle]

Never look a gift horse in the... If you are unsure of the origin of a manure or mulch, you can always just put down a small quantity in your yard to test it,

There is also a transitionary period when switching from harsh chemical ferts to organic sources. The biology likely is lacking from your soil to break down the organic ferts if you're a chemical grower. It takes 1-2 months and that transition is hastened by allowing other roots (weeds) to grow in the vicinity of the trees. Looks like all the organic folks were well positioned for this supply chain shock.

[John B]

Good for 1 season, so you'll buy more next season   Store it properly, and it should last a long time (dry ferts at least).

Very true. Going on year 3 with my 8-7-8 and still showing improvement each time I use it.

Quite a bit of price gouging going on, not just inflation.

[CarolinaZone]

I'm not commercial so.. it's a cost but it doesn't really hit my bottom line too hard.