11 votes

Can I just apply less of a higher fertilizer?

Yes, you can use it, in lesser quantities. About the second question: the reason why we have not 33-34-33: These number are the percent of weight of N,P, and K. For example, N is a gas, so we need ...
Giacomo Catenazzi's user avatar
10 votes
Accepted

Output of Septic tank as fertiliser

You're going to be dripping partially treated effluent onto the ground near some fruit trees. The main concern is splash back of pathogenic bacteria onto some edible fruit. Though this risk is less ...
Graham Chiu's user avatar
  • 23.1k
10 votes

Putting fruit tree branches in compost

Dry leaves should be shredded first as otherwise they might form an impenetrable mat in your compost pile. If you don't have a shredder, it's easiest to just collect a pile of leaves and run the lawn ...
Graham Chiu's user avatar
  • 23.1k
10 votes
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Fertilizer with an NPK title i can't understand

Probably using the , for decimal point. Common in some parts of the world, uncommon in others. So still just 3 numbers, but more precise: 6.1 - 4.0 - 5.6
Ecnerwal's user avatar
  • 23.2k
9 votes
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Managing Cover Crops

An important thing that many people miss is that if a cover crop produces fruit and seed (beans in your case) it is no longer a cover crop or green manure, but a crop, which depletes the soil rather ...
Richard Grevers's user avatar
9 votes
Accepted

How do I make rock dust?

Rock dust is used in organic gardening where basalt and granite is crushed into a fine powder. Bricks are made of clay, sand and lime and where limestone... is often deficient in the majority of ...
kevinskio's user avatar
  • 58.8k
9 votes
Accepted

What are the best garden uses for 5 gallons of used coffee beans?

We get 30 litres of coffee grounds once a month from the local deli. We're on a list of people who take the stuff to stop it going into landfill. It just goes straight into our compost pile. Newly ...
Graham Chiu's user avatar
  • 23.1k
9 votes
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Should I fertilize a cactus showing etiolation?

We say a plant is 'etiolated' when its growth becomes long and lanky, usually thin and weak looking, often yellowish or pale in colour, and with elongated gaps between leaves on stems, although this ...
Bamboo's user avatar
  • 132k
9 votes
Accepted

Is this an acceptable way to use green waste on plants?

What "someone" told you is correct. Basically, you are giving unwanted visitors like slugs, snails, and rodents a free lunch with no benefit to your plants. The only benefit to the plants, ...
alephzero's user avatar
  • 11.4k
8 votes
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Tea leaves for fertilizers

On bedded plants, this won't hurt anything, In potted plants, there is a possibility of altering the pH levels, especially if fermented. Also, the decomposition process could sour the potting mix. And ...
J. Musser's user avatar
  • 51.7k
8 votes

Managing Cover Crops

Normally with cover crops you want them to grow as long as possible, where possible is influenced by: When you plan to plant the actual crop (including some time for breakdown of the cover crop ...
Ecnerwal's user avatar
  • 23.2k
8 votes

What do nurseries feed their potted trees to make them so healthy?

Bear in mind that many commercial outlets do not actually grow trees in pots, they simply buy them in from a specialist supplier. The actual supplier will raise the saplings under controlled ...
Bamboo's user avatar
  • 132k
8 votes

Buds don't blossom on Chilli plant ( bud drop )

I think you overwater the chilli plant. The leaves are not very healthy. Chilli likes also dry climate, so try to water a lot less. One or twice a week. I would also not put so much fertiliser. Once ...
Giacomo Catenazzi's user avatar
8 votes
Accepted

Miracle Grow, good or bad?

There is a lot of confusion on the subject of salt and fertilisers - when we hear 'salt' we think of the sort of salt that's used in food and which we wouldn't want on our plants, in the main. However,...
Bamboo's user avatar
  • 132k
8 votes

Is fertilizing a zero-sum endeavor?

You are missing the fact that air is just as vital as an "external input" as light and water. Plants process carbon dioxide from the air directly, and specialist bacteria also convert nitrogen to ...
alephzero's user avatar
  • 11.4k
7 votes

Managing Cover Crops

Usually, you would wait until the plants are in full flower, and have no ripe seeds, then cut/mow the tops down and turn them under. This will add the most nitrogen to the soil (the green tops are ...
J. Musser's user avatar
  • 51.7k
7 votes

Recommendations for Composting Bin

Sitting on soil allows worms and other critters to enter and exit the bottom of the bin. Also, I would think the drainage would be poor and you could get an anaerobic smelly mess at the bottom. As ...
Philip's user avatar
  • 1,162
7 votes
Accepted

Recommendations for Composting Bin

I've tried 2 bins similar to the picture on the left. They did not work well. They took a very long time to break down the compost. It was difficult to turn the pile because it was so small. They ...
michelle's user avatar
  • 9,464
7 votes

What do nurseries feed their potted trees to make them so healthy?

I'm pretty sure they don't give them anything initially, although if the tree does not sell within a few months, I imagine they would give them slow release fertiliser appropriate to the plant - ...
davidgo's user avatar
  • 3,579
7 votes
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Does turmeric like potash?

Adding potash to the soil your Tumeric is growing in will not hurt it as long as it doesn't make the soil too alkaline. When potash is added to soil it acts as a source of potassium, and also shifts ...
Mark Ripley's user avatar
7 votes
Accepted

In store-bought fertilizer for camellias, what's the difference between NPK 10-10-10 and say 4-4-4?

It's quite difficult to give a straight, simple answer - fertilizers are formulated differently in terms of how quickly they break down, so liquid formulations will be almost instantaneous, whereas a ...
Bamboo's user avatar
  • 132k
7 votes

Why are mineral fertilizers not allowed in organic farming?

The term 'organic', in this instance, essentially means anything used on the land must contain carbon. Therefore, things like composted manures, composted plant waste, green manures,essentially, waste ...
Bamboo's user avatar
  • 132k
7 votes

Why are mineral fertilizers not allowed in organic farming?

There are several reasons: Where to put boundary for organic and “traditional?” What is the difference between a pesticide, an growth regulator, a herbicide and a fertilizer? Maybe for most of cases ...
Giacomo Catenazzi's user avatar
7 votes
Accepted

Should I account for seasons when growing inside only?

Stormy has a nice answer (especially on fertilizer part), but I am going to add some general concepts. Temperate plants usually needs different seasons to grow naturally. But we don't cultivate them ...
Giacomo Catenazzi's user avatar
7 votes

Miracle Grow, good or bad?

Unless you are watering your plants with distilled water it is likely you will get far more salt from your water and/or potting soil than from the fertilizer. You can also get white "crust" from ...
Tim Nevins's user avatar
  • 3,228
7 votes
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Is fertilizing a zero-sum endeavor?

Check out the Wikipedia plant nutrition article. Plants take carbon, oxygen and hydrogen from the atmosphere, the remainder from the soil. (There are exceptions - some plants can make use of ...
Peter4075's user avatar
  • 3,822
6 votes

How do I apply spent coffee grounds as a fertilizer?

I've dumped coffee grounds right on my roses and other bushes for years and years -- to no ill effect. I have had to travel at short notice so I have had a lot of veggies go bad on me - which I've ...
Mark ONeill's user avatar
6 votes
Accepted

Can I use greens, such as grass, as a fertilizer for tomatoes?

If you have a household, you can generate enough waste to start some Bokashi bins. You can purchase these from Green Zone Egypt. These create compost in buckets but the process needs to be finished ...
Graham Chiu's user avatar
  • 23.1k
6 votes

Tea leaves for fertilizers

Without a compost heap, you won't be able to use up all your tea leaves - putting them on the compost is the best way to use them. However, what you can do for acid loving plants is repot them, using ...
Bamboo's user avatar
  • 132k
6 votes
Accepted

What lawn care steps should I take?

I am on the west coast but can tell you what I do. I remove weeds manually (it is more work but I avoid chemicals in the process) by pulling them out. Also, at the beginning of spring, I fertilize ...
JStorage's user avatar
  • 7,894

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