Author Topic: Small Volume Measuring Fert  (Read 837 times)

CanadianCitrus

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Small Volume Measuring Fert
« on: February 13, 2022, 08:31:43 PM »
Good evening everyone!

I am continuing my battle with growing citrus indoors all year around. The plants are alive (most of them) but I am struggling with the fertilizing. The plants are flushing new growth as well as flowering but I can’t keep them fed properly. I am upping the volume of nutrients but am not too sure how much to increase. On the bag of jacks 25-5-15 it has small volume measurement but how do you know which dose to go with? I am trying the 20%-750 ppm of nitrogen. The plants are being fertilized every watering on a 4 day of 1 day on watering schedule. They are also being fed a slow release fert to supplement.

Thanks!

pagnr

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Re: Small Volume Measuring Fert
« Reply #1 on: February 14, 2022, 03:57:22 PM »
The label of the product has a guide "suggested feeding concentration ppm nitrogen"
and a column "periodic every 7 to 10 days"
You are mixing the 20%-750 ppm N and you say "plants are being fertilized every watering on a 4 day of 1 day on watering schedule." ( is that every 4 days ? )
 "They are also being fed a slow release fert to supplement."

According to the Label,  750 ppm every 7 to 10 days is on the high end of recommendations, i.e. outdoor Garden Landscape. Thats for outdoor shrubs
If you are fertilising every 4 days, plus the slow release fert to supplement, you seem to be over the label rates
That would seem more than adequate, if not too much ?
The label says woody ornamentals 200 to 375 ppm or heavy feeders 350 to 400 ppm.
These label recommendations might be conservative, to prevent burning at high EC.
Also says mix in warm water to completely dissolve all ingredients.

You say, The plants are flushing new growth as well as flowering but I can’t keep them fed properly.

Can you explain this more ?? What symptoms do you see ??
Also how big are the plants and containers, and what type of mix are they in ??
How much slow release fert is applied ??

CanadianCitrus

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Re: Small Volume Measuring Fert
« Reply #2 on: February 14, 2022, 06:25:38 PM »
Pagnr thanks for the reply.

1) For the feeding/watering I am watering every 5th day. 4 days drying - water/fertilize on day 5.

2) the plants are in 2.5 gal fabric pots planted in 5-1-1 reptibark - peat - perlite. They are flushing new growth but as the leaves begin to mature, they are showing light green/yellow that would be symptomatic of nitrogen as well as I believe a magnesium deficiency (green veins with yellowing in an inverted delta shape). From reading in the forum I think they are showing a bit of a manganese deficiency as well. I have supplemented with a pinch of bath salts every once and a while.

3) I am pH’ing the water to approximately 6.3 to ensure there is no nutrient lockout going on.

4) I am using a miracle grow slow release feet that is around 12-4-8 with TMs. Approximately 1 table spoon per gallon of pot.

5) the medium drains so fast that I worry that I am flushing the fertilizer from previous applications drowns he drain.

I will try and post some pictures when I can.

Cheers.


CanadianCitrus

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Re: Small Volume Measuring Fert
« Reply #3 on: February 14, 2022, 06:26:34 PM »
I have also inspected for root rot and have found no evidence, so that’s a bonus right?

aprici

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Re: Small Volume Measuring Fert
« Reply #4 on: February 18, 2022, 06:00:56 PM »
Keep in mind that when you feed citrus you need to be aware of more than just the major nutrients (NPK).  You should also make sure Calcium, Magnesium, and Sulfur are plentiful.  Also micronutrients.  Missing some will make the citrus unable to use some others.  There is actually an excellent series of articles on citrus nutrition available from University of Florida: https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/entity/topic/series_citrus_tree_nutrients

Also, you need to keep in mind the temperature.  Under about 10C the citrus will slow down and eventually stop absorbing nutrients.  Adding more nutrients to the soil will not help.

I generally recomment using a complete fertilizer with micronutrients, such as the regular miracle gro, and adding a bit of gypsum and epsom salts periodically.

pagnr

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Re: Small Volume Measuring Fert
« Reply #5 on: February 19, 2022, 04:17:23 PM »
I am pH’ing the water to approximately 6.3 to ensure there is no nutrient lockout going on.

I would try to check the pH of the pot mix, unless you are adjusting the pH of the pot mix, the bark and peat should be on the acid side already.
Fertilisers can also influence pH, so regular liquid feeds might be having an influence.
pH of the soil or container mix overall determines nutrient availability, especially for trace and minor elements.
The pH nutrient availability charts are worth looking at.
Your P in the NPK might be a bit high for Citrus ?? Often P of about 2 to 2.5 is preferred, to avoid Iron deficiency symptoms.
You could try changing one of your fertilisers to a lower P version. Most professional companies have a range of NPK formulations.