How much fertigation is too much?

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Charlie

Registered:1404043833
Posts: 1,214

Posted 1450061897	Reply with quote #1

Kinda wondering if there's going to reach a point all my indoor figs croak because of too much fertigation? For several weeks now they have been getting one teaspoon per gallon of 10-6-18, with every watering. They're growing like weeds. Is this going to build up and kill them? I don't know, seriously. Thoughts? __________________ Zone 7A ~ Fort Smith area Arkansas

fignutty

Registered:1374034473
Posts: 580

Posted 1450064028	Reply with quote #2

I go by foliage color and growth rate. I like enough for moderate to fast but not rampant growth. You'll not kill them with too much fertilizer unless you allow it to build up in the potting mix. I'd switch to fertilizer no more than once a week with plain water in between. That will leach out excess salts and slow the growth some. __________________ Steve in Alpine TX 7b/8a Wish list: Sangue Dolce, Siblawi, Victoria, Emalyn's Purple, Colonel Littman's Black Cross

smatthew

Registered:1423266323
Posts: 180

Posted 1450065826	Reply with quote #3

As a reference: My young figs (i.e. <1yr old) live in a flood and drain hydroponic setup. The solution they are watered with has an EC of 2.2. And they love it. some calculations tell me that what you are feeding your plants has an EC around 0.9. So you're definitely safe. If you're worried about salt build up - here's a quick tip. Any time you fertilize, you want to put enough solution on the plant that 10-15% runs out the bottom. So if you fed 1 Liter, you should find 100-150ml in the drip tray. That will eliminate salt buildup. __________________ Blackberry & Fig Farmer in East Bay San Francisco - Sunol. Wanted (4): Emalyn's Purple, IT-258, Pastiliere and Milco Caprifig.

Charlie

Registered:1404043833
Posts: 1,214

Posted 1450066193	Reply with quote #4

These are all in the sand experiment. The grow bags sit in trays that I have to water, some twice daily as they take up all the water, so there is no excess. The growth is most definitely rampant and they are all a very nice, dark green with the first leaves they ever got still on except for a few Valley Black leaves I pulled early on due to rust. I will start to alternate plain water and see how it goes. __________________ Zone 7A ~ Fort Smith area Arkansas

rcantor

Registered:1309799312
Posts: 5,724

Posted 1450075541	Reply with quote #5

When plants are as young as yours are rampant growth is ok as long as they won't outgrow your available space and light. If you wont be able to keep them all well lit as they grow then use less fertilizer. Or get 4 more HID lights ;) __________________ Zone 6, MO Wish list: Galicia Negra, De La Reina - Pons, Genovese Nero - Rafed's, Sbayi, Souadi, Acciano, Any Rimada, Sodus Sicilian, any Bass, Pons or Axier fig, any great tasting fig.

Charlie

Registered:1404043833
Posts: 1,214

Posted 1450093139	Reply with quote #6

Quote: Originally Posted by rcantor When plants are as young as yours are rampant growth is ok as long as they won't outgrow your available space and light. If you wont be able to keep them all well lit as they grow then use less fertilizer. Or get 4 more HID lights ;) One football sized bulb is my wife limit. :) __________________ Zone 7A ~ Fort Smith area Arkansas

rcantor

Registered:1309799312
Posts: 5,724

Posted 1450134296	Reply with quote #7

Quote: Originally Posted by Charlie Quote: Originally Posted by rcantor When plants are as young as yours are rampant growth is ok as long as they won't outgrow your available space and light. If you wont be able to keep them all well lit as they grow then use less fertilizer. Or get 4 more HID lights ;) One football sized bulb is my wife limit. :) Which is why I'm telling you this. :) It will be very difficult to maintain 15) 4-6' plants under 1 HID lamp, let alone 40. Maybe it's time to Put 6 more HID lamps in the basement before she finds out :) __________________ Zone 6, MO Wish list: Galicia Negra, De La Reina - Pons, Genovese Nero - Rafed's, Sbayi, Souadi, Acciano, Any Rimada, Sodus Sicilian, any Bass, Pons or Axier fig, any great tasting fig.

Charlie

Registered:1404043833
Posts: 1,214

Posted 1450140009	Reply with quote #8

Quote: Originally Posted by rcantor Quote: Originally Posted by Charlie Quote: Originally Posted by rcantor When plants are as young as yours are rampant growth is ok as long as they won't outgrow your available space and light. If you wont be able to keep them all well lit as they grow then use less fertilizer. Or get 4 more HID lights ;) One football sized bulb is my wife limit. :) Which is why I'm telling you this. :) It will be very difficult to maintain 15) 4-6' plants under 1 HID lamp, let alone 40. Maybe it's time to Put 6 more HID lamps in the basement before she finds out :) I have no basement lol __________________ Zone 7A ~ Fort Smith area Arkansas

jdsfrance

Registered:1376988473
Posts: 2,591

Posted 1450270958	Reply with quote #9

Hi, It is my belief that with the sand, the excess of fertilizer will drain to the bottom plate. So as long as roots don't reach the plate, you'll be safe. One the roots reach the plate, I would every now and then remove and wash the plate. I have yet to kill a fig tree from over fertilizing ... And man, do I try ! I use ashes, fertilizer, compost tea and manure ... and the trees still keep on growing more... When I'm too light ... They grow slooowly ... You're using 10-6-18. I'd use 10/10/10 . __________________ ------------------------ Climate from -25°C to + 35°C Only cold hardy figtrees can make it here

rcantor

Registered:1309799312
Posts: 5,724

Posted 1450311069	Reply with quote #10

Time to rent a warehouse! __________________ Zone 6, MO Wish list: Galicia Negra, De La Reina - Pons, Genovese Nero - Rafed's, Sbayi, Souadi, Acciano, Any Rimada, Sodus Sicilian, any Bass, Pons or Axier fig, any great tasting fig.

Charlie

Registered:1404043833
Posts: 1,214

Posted 1450312707	Reply with quote #11

Thanks for comments. I remember reading somewhere they said to fertilize heavy. Now I kinda get just what that means. __________________ Zone 7A ~ Fort Smith area Arkansas

Charlie

Registered:1404043833
Posts: 1,214

Posted 1450318167	Reply with quote #12

Quote: Originally Posted by jdsfrance Hi, It is my belief that with the sand, the excess of fertilizer will drain to the bottom plate. So as long as roots don't reach the plate, you'll be safe. One the roots reach the plate, I would every now and then remove and wash the plate. I have yet to kill a fig tree from over fertilizing ... And man, do I try ! I use ashes, fertilizer, compost tea and manure ... and the trees still keep on growing more... When I'm too light ... They grow slooowly ... You're using 10-6-18. I'd use 10/10/10 . Stopped top watering some weeks ago due to algae. Now they just get water directly into the tray bottoms. All have roots poking out of the bags, some more than others. Here's six of the larger plants roots in one corner of each tray. this is how they look each morning when I get up and evening when I get home from work, before filling each tray with nearly an inch of water/fertigation. I don't keep that much in the smaller tree trays, only 1/4 inch or so until they start to use it up like these do. __________________ Zone 7A ~ Fort Smith area Arkansas

jdsfrance

Registered:1376988473
Posts: 2,591

Posted 1450386411	Reply with quote #13

Hi Charlie, For me, those roots in the water and outside of the "potting mix" shouldn't exist. Those roots for me mean lack of nutrients in the potting mix... Or are your pots that small ? Normally your pots should be trimming those roots... At some point I would cut those roots for the roots to stay inside of the grow bag. __________________ ------------------------ Climate from -25°C to + 35°C Only cold hardy figtrees can make it here

Charlie

Registered:1404043833
Posts: 1,214

Posted 1450396751	Reply with quote #14

Quote: Originally Posted by jdsfrance Hi Charlie, For me, those roots in the water and outside of the "potting mix" shouldn't exist. Those roots for me mean lack of nutrients in the potting mix... Or are your pots that small ? Normally your pots should be trimming those roots... At some point I would cut those roots for the roots to stay inside of the grow bag. They're 2 gallon Root Pouch grow bags and certainly there is lack of nutrients in the mix, it's 100% sand. Yes, they should be pruning but they stay wet all the time so the roots don't die like they would under normal grow bag use. When spring arrives, I'll just remove them from the bucket bottoms and put the whole thing in the ground. __________________ Zone 7A ~ Fort Smith area Arkansas

snaglpus

Registered:1244258188
Posts: 4,072

Posted 1450490010	Reply with quote #15

Charlie, swing over to your local hydroponics shop and bend their ear on the algae issue. If it were me, I'd keep adding the juice! __________________ Dennis Charlotte, North Carolina/Zone 8a

Charlie

Registered:1404043833
Posts: 1,214

Posted 1450491512	Reply with quote #16

Quote: Originally Posted by snaglpus Charlie, swing over to your local hydroponics shop and bend their ear on the algae issue. If it were me, I'd keep adding the juice! Funny I just started adding it again this morning. Already since just putting in water I notice the new leaves are a lot more yellow. Got to have green! Back to juicing it is! __________________ Zone 7A ~ Fort Smith area Arkansas

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