i have been using espoma garden lime (and should have stuck with it). just tried their plant-tone. don't see much improvment on my trees. maybe i'll add some iron-tone on top of it.

Frank,

I believe the #s are percentage of nitrogen, phosphoros and potassium, by weight, in that order. So you would average the two, not add.
Example, a 10 lb bag of 20-20-20, would be 2 pounds of each.
So, if you combined one pound of 5% N and one pound of 15% N, you would have 2 pounds of 10% N.

Well...I certainly appreciate the answers to my questions and I was surprised to read how wrong my reasoning, or, guesses, where.  Nothing is ever simple. Too bad.

So.... I will continue to use the Espoma, Iron-Tone, and liquid Foliage-Pro. 9-6-3.

Thanks for the quick education re: figuring out fert. ratios, etc.  Like I said...nothings is ever simple.  Now, I know better...but, I wish it worked my way.  : )



Frank

Frank,
Its averaged as explained in post #7, by John G.
I have used the Garden-tone (3-4-4) or Plant-tone (5-3-3) and Dolemite Limestone since last year on figs. If you review the labels you will see that almost 1% (0.6%) is water soluble Nitrogen. My recipe of 1 cup per 5 gallons of potting mix is actually 1/2 the manufacturers recommended application. I supplement the Espoma with Miracle Grow General Purpose (24-8-16) at 1 tablespoon per gallon of water weekly, for the first 2 months of the season. The Espoma provides long term insoluble nutrients and innoculates the potting mix with beneficial bacteria and fungi to help breakdown those nutrient and the added Dolemite limestone to a usable form. The MG is usually flushed by rain or my constant watering (I water every day).

IMO, if an added boost is required for the Epoma, any balanced fertilizer product could be added, and for mature trees, the Espoma alone at the recommended application would probably be sufficient. Miracle Grow fertilizer isn't "glamorous" but it works, and can be diluted down to whatever you need (keeping the 3-1-2 ratio).

Hi Pete,

I knew you would chime in, and I thank-you. 

I remembered your fert. recommendations, and I wanted to also try the 'Iron-Tone'.  I like the Espoma products because of what else they put into their products like the innoculates, etc.  I figured that I could mix two different formulas together, and get closer to the 9-3-6 ratio, but of course I didn't think things through, and I added instead of avereged out the N-P-K.  I'm glad forum members straightened out my poor thinking.

I do the MG jolt, along with the Foliage-Pro.  Now, I added Espoma Iron-Tone and like the resulting deep green leaves. 

I was just curious about the mixing of two compatible formulas manufactured by the same company. 

I was wrong.


Frank

Frank,
I've nothing against Foliage-Pro, but if you dilute MG to 1 teaspoon per gallon of water, you are at almost the same NPK analysis as FP at its recommended strength. I use MG @ 1 teaspoon per gallon (8-2.6-5.3) for Foliar feeding and have been doing this for years as a boost for young plants.

I  learned from  my towing truck driver,  to soak up the bunny pee and poop for4 days - then water it down turning it into a tea like fertilizer- and soak thei roots every week.Since my bunny's fertilizer is free of cost, I gave it a try- also, since the weather improved, I noticed a great result. the liquid fertilizer is amazing for my tomatoes also.  He also told me to do the same with the Hens'. 4-5 days soaking and diluting it and applying to the roots only. So watering from the bottom is best.

@ Pete:

I bought many bottles of 'Foliage Pro' when I finally found a retailer.  MG diluted is virtually the same, like you state.

I'm amazed at all the snake-oil type products that I buy on impulse.  I'm a sucker for a good label.  I want to be convinced that I'm buying a new, magic elixir.

Fertilizer season is almost over anyway. 


Frank

What are y'alls thoughts on "Superthrive"?

Greg....

I will try anything that I "think" will work, up to and including drinking 'Superthrive' if it will make my figs grow better. 

Seriously, the ads for this stuff makes it sound great, but does it work?  I don't have a clue.  I can't see the harm in using it as directed.

I still dissolve a Centrum vitamin tablet in a gallon of water.  I like the idea of adding minerals, etc. to my watering bucket.   It makes me feel good.


Frank

I use it 1/4 tsp per gal when transplanting my Root Riot
cubes to one gal pots. I also use it on other plants for
the same purpose. Appears to provide a kick and reduce
transplant shock.

I soak bare roots or cuttings in super thrive before putting into a pot, but how much it does I cannot say, for bareroot it seems to do about the same as kelp soaked in water.  If I don't do it, I don't think it would make a different though.

Frank,
I thought I should post a simple test I've been conducting on my Petite Negri EL which is planted in a 4 gallon pot. I added 1-1/2 tablespoon of Ironite to the monthly feeding 1/3 cup Espoma Garden-tone at the beginning of July. The leaves have thickened up and the plant is producing healthier looking leaves (uniform in thickness, with minimal visible leaf mosaic). This plant had the thinnest leaves of all the fig cultivars in my yard, it no longer has that status. It may also be due to the sunlight which was missing for most of June. This is currently the only plant that has been given Ironite.

BTW the Iron-tone could be used as a supplement to the Garden-tone or Plant-tone, for the increased Iron.

Pete:

You used "Ironite" in combination with the Espoma, Garden-Tone.  I used the Espoma, Iron-Tone with similar looking results regarding the leaves.  Both color and texture improved, and trees look healthier.

I will continue to use the Espoma, Iron-Tone and see if this trend continues.  I cannot draw any conclusions because I didn't set up any controls, experiments, etc.  But, the "Ironite" and the "Iron-Tone" seems to have improved the color and texture of the leaves.

Thanks for the added information.


Frank

Frank,
I wanted to post an update of the Petite Negri that I had started treating with the fertilizer combination (Garden-tone and Ironite). The combination as previously posted was 1/3 cup garden-tone with 1-1/2 tablespoon Ironite, one application was made on 7/6/13 .  It has not received any other fertilizer since the beginning of July (no Miracle Grow weekly feeding or Garden-tone) It has grow to almost 4 feet and the leaves are almost as thick as my fig tree with the thickest leaves, improved Celeste. I plan on treating several other plants (asymptomatic FMD) to compare them to untreated siblings.

BTW the leaves and leaf stems are thick and strong enough to hold a quarter with minimal deflection (bending).

Pete,

Thanks for the updated observations and photos.  Your trees look terrific, and look at the new, healthy, growth on that stem!  Am I correct....are these before and after photos?  Nice results!

My trees continue to have healthy looking leaves with no visible signs of rust, despite the humid, rainy, weather.  The texture of the leaves remains thick, tough, leathery, dark-green, and not paper-thin.  I don't know what it does, but it seems to do something good for the fig trees.

I wonder if this iron "tonic" supplement, will help virus-compromised trees, and delay the onset of rust infections?

In my case, I have to say that after only a few iron treatments, my trees never looked better.  Not very scientific, but it is what it is. 

I will definitely start next season with the iron supplements, along with the organic ESPOMA fertilizers, and, Kelp Meal.

Continued good luck, and thanks for adding to our knowledge.  Any, and all, observations, help.


Frank

Frank,
You're welcome.
Yes the two larger pictures are Before and After, the difference is time, 40 days and 1-1/2 tablespoon of Ironite supplement.
The Iron supplement seems to help this virus-compromised tree and will help the plant to fight off infections (increased overall health). The Petite Negri actually has visible rust inoculation on several leaves, but due to their heath, it is doing minor damage at this time.
Hopefully I will have more results in another month with other plants for comparisons.
Thanks and Best of Luck to you.

Pete:

Amazing to see that pathetic-looking twig, grow into something respectable, and over a 40 day period.  Maybe when used on sickly plants it will help them become and grow stronger. 

The photos seem to suggest this benefit.


Thanks.


Frank

Frank,
Just wanted to add another update. The tree has not stopped growing, even with the cool nighttime temperatures. I have not added any additional fertilizer since the beginning of July, at the time of the Ironite treatment. The trunk caliper has increased along with the height. The tree has also not lost a single leaf, due to age, disease or rust. I have left two (2) figs on the tree and am pinching the rest  as they develop.

I found this pdf for fertilizer on fig trees in Valencia, I was curious of anyones thoughts on this.  

http://www.ivia.es/sdta/pdf/revista/frutales/17tema22.pdf

They of course are able to fertilizer different than us with their climate so it's not too suitable for me anyways but I was planning for a schedule based on this