Hello,

In the spring I scattered 10-10-10 over my garden because the soil tested quite poorly.

All the plants are going like gangbusters, although it looks like more vegetative growth than otherwise. I do have some dandy peppers and a few small tomatoes starting, 4 weeks after transplant. It's been more cool and rainy here than hot.

I'm now using a pelletized organic fertilizer for my tomatoes and peppers. The directions call for 3 tbsp. per plant per 2 weeks. This seems a little bit excessive, not to mention somewhat costly. It takes a whole bag to do my garden.

I'm wondering if going to every three weeks would be sufficient. Any opinions? Thanks.

The general idea behind most fertilizers marketed to homeowners is to have them buy as much as possible.

Honestly there isn't a set program for fertilization: a very general rule of thumb is that most crops will get two or three applications of all purpose NPK fertilizer throughout the season PLUS a certain number of applications of foliar/liquid nitrogen-free fertilizer once vegetative growth is underway, but without knowing soil and weather conditions (cold weather may reduce nutrient uptake, especially nitrogen, to say one) it's hard to say and to make things worse different cultivars may have different requirements.

I don't know what that organic fertilizer has in it (pixie dust? Leprechaun tail? Sugar, spice and everything nice?), but I concur with you those dosages are not merely excessive, but insanely so: even eggplants, one of the most nutrient intensive crops, take far far less fertilization. Post a picture of the label so we can get a look.

Concur: I use a balanced NPK at planting. The exception is corn which is side dressed with a high N fertilizer as the tassels begin to show. I only do in ground growing, Containers may need frequent applications due to leaching.

No pixie dust...

ElPolloDiablo said:The general idea behind most fertilizers marketed to homeowners is to have them buy as much as possible.

Honestly there isn't a set program for fertilization: a very general rule of thumb is that most crops will get two or three applications of all purpose NPK fertilizer throughout the season PLUS a certain number of applications of foliar/liquid nitrogen-free fertilizer once vegetative growth is underway, but without knowing soil and weather conditions (cold weather may reduce nutrient uptake, especially nitrogen, to say one) it's hard to say and to make things worse different cultivars may have different requirements.

I don't know what that organic fertilizer has in it (pixie dust? Leprechaun tail? Sugar, spice and everything nice?), but I concur with you those dosages are not merely excessive, but insanely so: even eggplants, one of the most nutrient intensive crops, take far far less fertilization. Post a picture of the label so we can get a look.

farmerdill said:Concur: I use a balanced NPK at planting. The exception is corn which is side dressed with a high N fertilizer as the tassels begin to show. I only do in ground growing, Containers may need frequent applications due to leaching.

OK, thanks.

Espoma, right? Good brand. I'm nearby in MD. We've had great weather last week or two.
I try to build my soil with fall leaves, compost, am not THAT great at it but have decent results and don't 'fertilize' often at all. I did use Tomato tone at planting time with tomatoes, but not since. That was very end of April or maybe May1-5, so, five or six weeks ago?

mpierich said:No pixie dust...

I see it has a bit of snake oil in it though.

Honestly though, that's a very light NPK fertilizer: I would use it once a month until it's over and then switch over to a proper agri-strength one.

mpierich said:No pixie dust...

Here lies the quandry...do you want to grow organically or non-organically?

I'm no expert...for from it. There may be some errors in my thoughts, but hopefully nothing fatal. Anyhow, here's some food for thought...take it with a grain of salt.

The fertilizer pictured is considered an organic fertilizer. The NPK is derived from organic sources and there is supposedly some helpful bacteria included with the mixture. A problem with these type of fertilizers is exactly what EPD commented on...they are low-analysis. That means it will take more of it to provide the same amount of fertilizer as a "balanced" agricultural type chemical fertilizer. Most agricultural fertilizers are derived from petroleum. Btw..."balanced" means that each part of the N-P-K ratio is equal.

The analysis of 3-4-6 means that in 100 pounds of fertilizer you will have 3 pounds of nitrogen(N), 4 pounds of phosphorus, and 6 pounds of potassium. In the fertilizer that you pictured there is also some beneficial bacteria included. A chemical fertilizer, for example 13-13-13, would have 13 pounds of N, P, and K in a 100 hundred pounds. There's other inert/carrier substances in the fertilizers that account for the rest of the weight.

A typical petro-chemical fertilizer will have an analysis of something like 10-10-10 or maybe 13-13-13. So, it basically contains three to four times as much of the "active ingredients" as your fertilizer. So, you would either use 3-4 times as much of the organic fertilizer to equal the chemical fertilizer or you would use only 1/3 or maybe 1/4 of the chemical fertilizer to equal the organic fertilizer. For what you paid for the (8 pound?) bag of organic fertilizer you could by a 40-pound bag of the chemical 10-10-10 or 13-13-13 fertilizer. There's definitely a cost-benefit to the chemical fertilizer. As for as the plants care, they see no difference in the NPK provided by either fertilizer...nitrogen is nitrogen to them, same for P and K. BUT, the organic fertilizer helps the soil to be healthier as it is gentle to the soil organisms living there. The chemical fertilizers are more harsh to the soil organisms and if overused/abused can make the soil basically sterile in regards to soil organisms.

I started out wanting to go 100% organic but found that I simply didn't have the resources for it. I still throw what organic matter I can into the garden but I usually fertilize the garden once before planting and use a chemical 13-13-13 fertilizer. I try to use it according to soil test results...not just broadcasting "how much I think it needs". My garden area is roughly 1500 square feet, of which I usually plant half of. Using the 3-4-6 fertilizer would take a good bit of it. It's all depends on how comfortable you are with what you're using and what your goal is. I've personally reached a compromise in my fertilizing...adding organic matter and fertilizing in the spring with 13-13-13. It works ok for me. If I was container gardening or gardening a smaller plot I would definitely be going with a fertilizer such as you have.

Basically, organic fertilizers simply require more of it to be applied than it's chemical counterparts. Organic fertilizers are more kind to the soil and its inhabitants. But, as far as the nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium provided to the plants...the plants can't tell the difference. As the fellow said..."Pick your poison".

Best wishes,
Ed

Just a few minor tweaks, Ed. The nitrogen component is made using methane which is a major component of natural gas. Phosphate is from rock which is mined and processed. Potassium bearing minerals are mined from underground ore deposits, salt lakes and brines.
Plants are only able to take up ions. so all of these have to be ionic salts which dissociate in a solvent (water in the plants case)
A lot of energy is used in processing for certified organic and "Chemical" fertilizers. The end result is that all physical matter including biological organisms are chemicals. While NPK are the biggies in plant fertilizers, Minor elements are available in both commercial and "organic" formulations. One advantage of the organic formulations is the the filler is usually a good soil conditioner.
Once upon a time before "organic" meant something other than hydrocarbon compounds, I lived near a fertilizer plant. Their primary source was the trash fish Menhaden but they used all types of waste fish. quite smelly but a good source of N. If they are still in operation today they would be marketing fish emulsions or fish flakes

Good info.
going back to what DiIlard said near the beginning tho- fertilize at planting doing it for most crops.

Are your plants growing well? Then they have what they need.

farmerdill said:Just a few minor tweaks, Ed. The nitrogen component is made using methane which is a major component of natural gas. Phosphate is from rock which is mined and processed. Potassium bearing minerals are mined from underground ore deposits, salt lakes and brines.
Plants are only able to take up ions. so all of these have to be ionic salts which dissociate in a solvent (water in the plants case)
A lot of energy is used in processing for certified organic and "Chemical" fertilizers. The end result is that all physical matter including biological organisms are chemicals. While NPK are the biggies in plant fertilizers, Minor elements are available in both commercial and "organic" formulations. One advantage of the organic formulations is the the filler is usually a good soil conditioner.
Once upon a time before "organic" meant something other than hydrocarbon compounds, I lived near a fertilizer plant. Their primary source was the trash fish Menhaden but they used all types of waste fish. quite smelly but a good source of N. If they are still in operation today they would be marketing fish emulsions or fish flakes

Thanks for sorting that out, Dillard.