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bitzppa

fertilizer frustrationpk

bitzppa
10 years ago

all I am reading is foliage pro 9.3.6 and after many unproductive searches to find the product in Australia, or something of the same ratio its not going to happen, they don't sell it here! or anything in that ratio.

why the frustration ? because I agree it sounds great and I want some, but I am NOT willing to pay 120+ $ a gallon , it cant be that good LOL

so finding a fert in Australia with the same ratio has turned up a blank, so this is my last resort is to ask for help :)

I do have one other question if that ratio is so good (and I agree it is) then why the hell is there thousands of ferts that are not even close ?

pretty much walking away shaking my head in frustration and despair and I don't give up easy !!

so if anyone can help me I am all ears and I wont look in the mirror because that would be a scary sight :)

ok 3.1.2 me !!

BZ

Comments (13)

  • calistoga_al ca 15 usda 9
    10 years ago

    That ratio should not be a problem anywhere, I bought some last week at Costco under the miracle grow brand. Foliage Pro advantage is it contains all the required minors as well. It may seem expensive compared to other brands, but when you consider it requires only one third the amount, it is not so bad. Al

  • Ohiofem 6a/5b Southwest Ohio
    10 years ago

    I feel a little strange promoting one of the biggest fertilizer companies in the world that many of us love to bash, but I see that the Scotts Miracle Gro company has an Australian distribution center. Looking at their website, I saw a couple formulations like ones often discussed here that have ratios similar to 3-1-2 with trace elements, like Miracle-Gro MaxFeed Tomato, Fruit and Vegetable Soluble Plant Food and Osmocote Total All Purpose. These look like decent products to me. The site says they're sold in hardware stores.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Scotts Australia

  • bitzppa
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    thanks Ohiofem, probably why I didn't look there , as I have read on here so many bashings :)

    yep the stuff is everywhere here, sad to say that I prob have a bag of tomato maxfeed in my box of tricks somewhere. LOL

    just proves reading something enough start believing it ??

    so is this foliage pro some sort of super fert or is it no better than any other at similar ratios ?

    which ever the case its not worth 120 bucks a gallon, thanks for getting me OFF the obsession , I do that obsess :(

    another problem solved I think.

    cheers for the help

    BZ

  • edweather USDA 9a, HZ 9, Sunset 28
    10 years ago

    Yeah, I'll buy a bottle of Foliage Pro every once in a while when the budget allows. Right now I'm working on a regular 32oz yellow bottle of MG liquid which is 12-4-8, if I remember correct.

  • bitzppa
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    I have to laugh at myself I brought some bark the add said it was 10mm which is about 3/8" but its av size is about 6mm so I am not happy but I am sure its fine, water runs out fine but still I want perfect its an affliction that is good at times and well most of the time its very annoying :( having to have everything perfect.

    so this MG seems pretty good 4.1.2 but its not perfect :)

    http://www.scottsaustralia.com.au/miracle-gro/miracle-gro-soluble-plant-food/miracle-gro-maxfeed-all-purpose-soluble-plant-food/

    I am going to sleep I think 3.30am and if I read any more my head will explode :(

    thanks for putting up with me and for all the help :)

    BZ

  • DWD2
    10 years ago

    BZ, I would not worry if you can not find the Foliage Pro or other fertilizer with a 3:1:2 ratio for the NPK. The 3:1:2 NPK ratio that is widely accepted on this forum as some sort of universal, "perfect" NPK ratio for plants has no scientific foundation. I am pretty sure I know where it came from. It appears to be based on Table 1.3 from Chapter 1, page 5 of "Marchner's Mineral Nutrition of Higher Plants." The last 3 sentences from Chapter 1 in that text read, "These differences in function are reflected in the average concentration of mineral nutrients in plant shoots that are sufficient for adequate growth (Table 1.3). The values can vary considerably depending on plant species, plant age, and concentration of other mineral elements. This aspect is discussed in Chapters 6 to 8."

    Somehow the reality that there are considerable variations in mineral usage from plant to plant or between old & young plants has been missed in the discussions I have seen on this forum. I am not suggesting that a 3:1:2 fertilizer will not work well. It is as good a place to start as any. But if you believe in the notion that is some sort of "perfect" ratio, then you will likely close your mind to the possibility that a growing problem you encounter could be nutrition related. I will offer an example. It is well known that citrus trees consume a lot of N. If you are fertilizing with a 3:1:2 fertilizer, when you encounter a N deficiency, you could increase the amount of the 3:1:2 fertilizer used. Of course that will give an excess of the other minerals with new sets of problems. Or you could use an N only or N dominated fertilizer to get your tree's N deficiency corrected. People who grow citrus for a living routinely get leaves from their trees tested to guide them in how to fertilize their orchards. Of course, they would not have to do that nor would all the testing companies have to exist if this 3:1:2 ratio were real, would they? What does plain common sense tell us?

    You have not said what you are trying to grow. The likelihood is that a fairly wide array of fertilizers will work well for you. You might be well served to talk locally with staff at garden centers or people in garden clubs who successfully grow what you are interested in growing.

    Good luck!

  • alan_oz
    10 years ago

    Hello again bitzppa.

    For the last 18 months I've been using a liquid fertiliser called Nu Vitall on my plants in gritty mix (over 100).

    It seems to be the closest Australian equivalent to Foliage Pro - has Ca ,Mg S and all the trace elements.

    As best I can tell it is only available from Sage Horticultural in Melbourne. They send me 25 litre containers.
    Even bought a fertiliser injector from them - very handy when you have lots of plants.

    All my plants are healthy and robust, some that I had nearly given up on in bagged mixes are now thriving.

  • bitzppa
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Thanks DWD2 for helping relieve the obsession :) and I totally agree, not all plants, climates, or needs are the same, glad you used citrus as an example I just repotted 2 and need to remember what they will need once settled.

    like I am heading for winter and have a little hot house testing some tomatoes to see how they go, and I am using Canna vega A & B to try and keep them going and not flowering, so far so good :)

    so thanks hey :)

    thanks to Alan 100 pots and growing ? :) I seem to be getting more every day not sure when it stops ? :)

    will check out that fert, thanks for telling about that. sounds like its doing well for your plants.

    what sort are you growing in the gritty ?

    BZ

  • Mariëtte Jet
    6 years ago

    Is it ok for me to revive this thread here? I also find it hard to find a 9-3-6 like fertiliser in the South of Western Australia.

    I read someone suggested the Miracle-Gro one as an alternative. The Tomato, Fruit& Vegetable version = NPK 22-6-12 and the All Purpose one = NPK 24-6-12

    My current plant family indoors: Ficus Lyrata, Ficus Elastica, Spathyfillum, Ceropegia Woodii and 2 Tillandsias (which I won't fertilise with the same product.)

    Especially my dear Lyrata is getting lazy, early spring has resulted in 6 beautiful lush green leafs but nothing since weeks and a few bottom leafs started yellowing and dropping past 2 weeks.

    I have the Lyrata for 2 months now but haven't fertilised any of my plants yet. Now spring is here and I want to get a good fertiliser here in WA. I would appreciate some advice :)

  • mblan13
    6 years ago

    I like the MG shake and feed 12-4-8 granular. It has macros, micros, and trace elements, the liquid MG does not. You can use anything available close to 3-1-2 Macro ratio, but don't neglect the minors (calcium, magnesium, sulfur) and traces

    The only issue with MG S&F is that it uses urea nitrogen, which must be broken down by soil microbes, and can burn roots if you do not follow the directions.

    I mix MG S&F at 1/4 to 1/2 strength in to my 5-1-1 mix at potting and supplement the other 1/2 to 3/4 DGFP as needed.

  • antipodean
    6 years ago

    Charlie Carp All Purpose is 5-1-3 which is close enough. It also has all of the micros including calcium which is perfect for containers. Available everywhere, I have used it with great success.

  • antipodean
    6 years ago

    Btw, in WA the sale of phosphorus is restricted, and is only available with nitrogen at a ratio of at least 5-1, so a fertiliser like 3-1-2 would be prohibited.

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