Although nearly all my roses are on dip, I never use it to fertilize and know nothing about what fertilizers are available. However, from my experience working in nurseries where they do use such fertilizers, I would guess that most of the fertilizers available for drip are chemical rather than organic, so you might want to do read-up on the differences (and consequences).
With a few exceptions, most of us feel that Miracle Gro is equivalent to feeding candy bars to your kids.
Do your roses need to be fertilized?
Are your roses showing signs of iron deficiency?
Just because you can do it doesn't mean you should do it.

When were you elected to speak for "most of us", CatsRose? I missed that election.

So, ask what people think of MG and see what kind of answers you get back.

There are already several threads on it if you will bother to search. None specifically about using it for drip injection.

Lets start all over; Hi mexicanhat. I do not have a drip system, but your question should hit with some here (where are you John?) that use a drip system.

Thank you, Mike. I may try the irrigation forum as well. There was quite a bit of talk about the Rosemania EZ injectors (I think that was the name) on this forum a couple years back, so I know some folks have experience with it. Hopefully they will pipe up.

I've been trying to experiment with my feeding routine to see if I can get better Spring growth and less stress on the plants as weather conditions here tend toward extremes (last frost was June 15 and now it's gotten hot). In addition to the usual organic amendments, this year I tried one of the Ortho hose end feeders and started foliar feeding much earlier in the season. Most of the plants have responded well to that. I'd like to try just a bit of fertilizer supplementation in the irrigation and see how that goes. I had scratched in a small amount of balanced fertilizer granules to the dripline in May, but with no precipitation since March, I don't think it's going to be a good option. A drip emitter is not going to put out enough water to get the surface soil moist at the dripline of the plant.

I may just start by popping a TSP of balanced fertilizer into the injector and see how it goes.

Miracle grow or any liquid or water soluble fertilizer that will disolve completely will work in a drip system. I have an EZ injector hooked up to the misters I use on my cuttings. They get a very dilute dose of fertilizer each time it activates. If you use Miracle Gro. you may want to mix it with warm ot hot water to make sure it disolves completely or tiny undisolved particles may clog the drippers. I've used 46-0-0 urea, Mill's Easy Feed, and fish emulsion in my EZ injector. I've also used the liquid stuff you see farmers spraying on their fields.
Any liquids that contain no solids can be applied through a drip system.
When I use Miracle Gro or other fast acting chemical fertilizers I apply it very dilute and often to give the plants a continuous steady low dose fertlizer for more even growth.
That kind of evens out the candy bar effect.

Thanks so much, Karl. :-) I will try a little of it and maybe some fish emulsion through my drip system this summer on a more frequent basis and see how it goes.

It's great information that you use it with your mister on cuttings. I will try that in my mist frame... Does the foliar feed boost increase the vigor of the cuttings? Seems like it could really help them out. Wish I'd thought about that sooner. :-)

I have looked over the threads on M-G, which is why I said what I did. If you are into chemical fertilizers, I have no further comments.

I like organic fertilizers but if applying through a drip system or through an injector you have to use chemical fertilizers or else they will not go through the system. You could use Alfalfa tea, but you'd need to strain it to get rid of any solids.
Remember too, alfalfa tea or fish emulsion will get very diluted when applied through an injector so you should have very concentrated product in the tank. I don't know what the dilution ratio is from the EZ Flow but my Dosamatic can be set for many rates. I use a 200 parts per million ratio in that. I think the EZ Flo has a higher injection rate than that depending on how dilute the mixture is in the tank. Mine only has a high or low setting

You might want to google "Dosatron" which is what some people use to be precise in the amount of fertilizer delivered.

I like organic fertilizers but if applying through a drip system or through an injector you have to use chemical fertilizers or else they will not go through the system. You could use Alfalfa tea, but you'd need to strain it to get rid of any solids.
Remember too, alfalfa tea or fish emulsion will get very diluted when applied through an injector so you should have very concentrated product in the tank. I don't know what the dilution ratio is from the EZ Flow but my Dosamatic can be set for many rates. I use a 200 parts per million ratio in that. I think the EZ Flo has a higher injection rate than that depending on how dilute the mixture is in the tank. Mine only has a high or low setting

Don't know how I posted twice but it happened, Sorry!
About the Dosatron or Dosamatic.
They are quite pricey. The home model is $185.00 at Berry Hill.
Growers Solution has a Chemilizer HN55 Fertilizer Injector for $229.95.
For a home drip system the EZ Flow is cheapest. You can get one at Rosemania for $55.00.

Here is a link that might be useful: Dosatron

You may want to check out the spec on EZ Flo before buying, but it sure is the cheapest and is effective for home garden. I use a 3/4 gal size for my garden, and I may need another one for a new area in the future. Sometimes, there may be some good deal on ebay.

mexicanhat, what Karl has told you about using the injector systems through drip irrigation is correct. I purchased the Dosmatic system a few years ago from Rosemania, but I seldom use it anymore. Mine can also be used as a portable system, which I found a big pain to lug around, which is why we hooked it into our irrigation system. You do need to make sure that you have the proper backflow valves installed on your irrigation system to prevent any fertilizers from getting into your drinking water. Yes, water your plants first, and then fertilize. Later on, run some clean water back through your drips to clear them. Otherwise, you may get some algae build up and end up with clogged tubes.

One thing I'd like to point out to you is that I found that no matter how you try to get all the drips flowing evenly, there will be differences in the amounts of fertilizer each plant gets. In other words, some will get more than others. This is not the injectors' fault, but just a characteristic of drip irrigation. I don't feel that it really matters in the whole scheme of things, especially if it is diluted a bit. I never had a plant suffer as a result. Like Karl said, do not attempt to push anything "chunky" or thick through the system or you'll ruin your injector.

You can use chemical water soluble fertilizer, or you can use organic ones also, as long as they are water soluble and in liquid form by the time you turn the system on. Since I use organics, I usually apply them with a watering can nowadays. I do worm composting, and it would be hard to figure out the proper ratio for diluting the worm tea through the injector, although I'm sure it can be done. Hmmm.....maybe that's something I should have my math wiz husband figure out for me.

And, even though I'm a fan of organics, and now use them exclusively, I feel it's better for the environment if you use up what you have on hand rather than toss it in the garbage unused.

Sandy

Karl - It does not bother you that the EZ Flow you have distributes the strongest ratio at the beginning, and weakens with every gallon of water? I use one also, but this drives me crazy!

Thanks Ann and Karl and Roseleaf. The EZ flow is an option. At this point, I will try the DIG one that I have first (I do use a backflow preventer). I've been using it as a filter - you're supposed to be able to unscrew the top and drop fertilizer into the filter and it will disperse.

Sandy, thanks for all the use information. I really like using the organic stuff, too. I have a box of MG that has been kicking around for 5 years, and I am trying hard to use up everything on hand before I buy more.

I have been doing more reading, and find that many of the organic fertilizer sites mention that there may not be enough nitrogen available to plants in cool soils because the soil microbes are slowed down by cool weather and may not be able to release enough N in early season, when the plants are growing the most. The effect may be increased by my use of mulch - the soil is so much cooler under mulch. I mulched most of my asparagus patch last year with straw, and there was a 2-3 week difference in when the asparagus emerged. The bare soil warmed up much faster.

Hmmmmm. It matches my observation that my plants are stressed in the early growing season.

I have the EZ flow and don't like it or use it

I would never be without a drip irrigation sytem. I think its the only way to water my plants. But the only way I fertilize is each plant individually.

I'm glad to see that we can all get along AND share our thoughts!

Every time one of these threads about drip irrigation comes along I feel it my duty to share what I think is the best system out there (IMO, duh, I'm writing this, of course it's my opinion, lol). I have a sprinkler system attached to a tank that I used to add chemicals in order to prevent rust (that's when I used to use well water - stuff is pretty nasty down here in SF - now I use lake water) and now I use it to fertilize my yard two times a year. I use Spot Spitters because the heads of all my sprinklers inevitably get clogged at one point or another. With Spot Spitters I easily just take the plastic piece off, clean the debris, and set it back in its place.

I only inject water soluble (i.e. Miracle Gro-like stuff) as I find anything else just doesn't dilute correctly. I know that there are other products out there that will work just fine, but what I use works for me.

When I do want to use a mixture of fish emulsion and MG-type fertilizers I attach a short hose to the end of one of the old Miracle Grow hose end dispensers, load up the dispenser with a mixture of fish emulsion, seaweed emulsion, and water soluble fertilizer (20-20-20), attach the other end of the short hose to one of those fanning plastic lawn sprinklers and let it go for 30 mins. The entire garden is then drenched in the mixture. Afterwards I get ready for the flush of roses that follows in the weeks to come.

There are my two cents, for what their worth!

Good luck with whichever system you decide upon.

Adrian.

better check into the (EZ-FLO) injector a little closer. this system is not designed to be used under pressure. this means you have to take it off line when it is not running. if this is what you plan to do than it is definatly the cheapest option. however if you want an injector that can stay hooked up into your system all the time look into the ( Add-it ) injectors.the one I have is made to handle constant pressure of up to 100 psi. and my house pressure is 55 psi. so I am very happy about it.

The Ez-Flo is designed for organic fertilizers as well and recommends fish hydrolysate products over emulsion which are completely different production methods. The Ez- flo systems works Great when applied correctly, and can be left attached to your water source as long as the turn off valve is located in front of the EZ-flo unit, as not to remain under pressure when the water source is turned off.

The website below is quite informative regarding Both the Ez-flo and the difference between fish emulsion & fish hydrolysate products on the FAQ page.

Here is a link that might be useful: organicgardengrower.com/ez-flo-fertigation

I used the EZ Flo for a couple of years with Miracle-Gro and Daniels. The problem I experienced was that the fertilizer would run out, and I wouldn't know it. It's very difficult to tell just by looking at the EZ-Flo container. So, I went back to the old hose-end sprayer, where I could monitor the process much more effectively.
The EZ Flo is retired.

Thanks Mike Gleason!!! I don't know how I missed this thread for so long.
I am an avid supporter of the EZ-Flo fertilizing method hooked up to my drip irrigation system that I made from parts from Drip Works.
I have a basic fertilizing mix that is lovingly named "John's Jungle Juice" by my sister who also uses and swears by it.I mix it up by the gallon and use it in the EZ-Flo container. I hook up a hose to the faucet outside and then hook up a backflow preventer valve to the end of that hose. Then I attach a short hose to the backflow valve and hook the other end of that small hose to an in-line filter. This filter prevents large particles from clogging up the system and shrubblers to each plant. I then hook the small hose end from the filter to the drip irrigation system for each bed. Then I just turn on the water and let it run. It's really quite simple to do once you have done it a time or two to get the hang of it. Also, the DripWorks pieces are very reasonably priced and they are delivered very quickly when you order them.
I generally fertilize about 25 roses at a time. It is such a time and labor saver that I can't believe more people don't use it. I always have lots of visitors to my roses and when I show them the EZ-FLO/DRIP IRRIGATION system I use they think it is wonderful and many people build a system of their own similar to mine if they have enough plants to warrant it. OF course, you can use it for other plants besides roses just as well. You can also use it for fertilizing or watering container grown plants as well if you just get the right equimpment from Drip Works. The folks at Drip Works will work with you to make up a system for your particular needs. I started with their basic Rose Irrigation system and went on from there.
My basic "Jungle Juice" recipe is as follows:
To a GALLON of water I add these supplements according to the manufacturers suggested amounts per gallon doubled or tripled as I see fit. You use your own judgement for how concentrated you want the mixture. Be sure to mix this well so that all the granular supplements are dissolved completely.
Response
Fish Emulsion
Epsom Salts
Superthrive
Liquid Iron
Miracle-Gro granular
Any High Acid granular supplement/fertilizer I can find on sale at the local nursery or big box store. They usually say for "Acid Loving Plants", and that is the key. I do experiment with other additives from time to time to see if it improves the "juice". This year, at different times, I am going to add a seaweed based fert and Monty's Joy Juice to see if there is any improvement noted. I have tried a couple of others in the past but didn't notice any improvement so I quit using them. I have never had this mixture burn or harm my roses in any way so far.
I generally let the EZ-FLO run for approximately two hours per bed and that seems to do the trick. That usually uses up all of the "Jungle Juice" in the EZ-FLO container. You can tell by the change of color of the liquid in the container.
My roses love this stuff and I can proudly and honestly say that this fertilizing makes my roses much healthier to the point that I only have to spray for BS and PM about every 6 weeks. I have even been able to go every eight weeks many times and still not see any fungal infections. I think it is all due to the roses being as healthy as they possibly can be.
I don't winter protect my roses either, and I see very little damage, and I think that is because I make sure my roses go into winter as healthy as possible.
In the long run I think this saves me money and labor besides giving me very healthy and beautiful roses. Both the blooms and the foliage benefit from my fertilizing system. If you have questions, please just ask me. My e-mail is Jojomood@sbcglobal.net .
Please note that I don't do this to make money for myself or anyone else. I just do it and pass it along because I love the roses and enjoy helping others get the most out of their roses.
John

If you're going to use an EZ-Flo to fertilize your roses, it works just fine so long as you fertilize one bed at a time, running it until most of the fertilizer has been transferred to the bed, which you can usually judge by the color of the solution in the tank, and then refilling with fresh fertilizer and moving to the next bed.

On the other hand, if you plan to apply equal amounts of fertilizer to multiple beds without refilling between beds, or if you plan to put a few months worth of fertilizer in the tank and then apply small but equal portions of the fertilizer over an extended period of time without refilling the tank (both of these actions seem to be recommended in the literature which came with my EZ-Flo), then you might consider the following math:

The EZ-Flo works by bleeding a small amount of water from the supply hose into the fertilizer tank. This dilutes the tank mixture and pushes an equal volume of the tank contents downstream into the hose and into your rose bed. The concentration of the fertilizer in the tank then falls off in a first-order fashion with a constant half-life. Suppose you fill the tank with 16 ounces of fertilizer and suppose the half-life is one hour. In the first hour, 8 ounces (1/2 of 16) of fertilizer will go into your rose bed. In the second hour, 4 ounces (1/2 of 8) will be applied, in the third hour 2 ounces, and so on. This means if you switch beds every hour without refilling, the first bed gets 8 ounces, the second bed gets 4 ounces, the third bed gets 2 ounces and - you get my point. Can you compensate for this by increasing the rate by means of the valve on the EZ-Flo? Not easily. If you run the EZ-Flo for one hour in one bed, then double the rate for the second bed, the first bed gets 8 ounces of fertilizer, the second bed gets 4 ounces plus 2 ounces or just 6 ounces of fertilizer. On top of all this, there is absolutely no easy way to determine the actual half-life.

I know this thread is ages old, but I really need to correct some of the misinformation in here about the EZ-FLO.

The dilution theory is correct when you forget that the EZ-FLO is designed to have MORE fertilizer in the tank that can be held in suspension in the water.

Normally only a small amount of fertilizer will fully dissolve in water. As an example, potassium nitrate will normally only allow around 5lbs of fertilizer to dissolve in water before no more will dissolve. Any additional fertilizer will remain un-dissolved. As fertilizer solution is drawn out of the tank and new water enters the fertilizer will continue to dissolve up to the maximum capacity that can be suspended in water. Mixing with water is then done by adjusting the speed selector in the cap of the EZ-FLO system.

Dilution does not occur until all available fertilizer has been dissolved in water. Even then fertilizer tends to be heavier than water and will gradually sink to the bottom of the tank. This is why the water supply and fertilizer tubes are at the bottom of the tank.

The actual dilution of solution does not occur very much until the end of the tank. Most people are not used to dumping large amounts of fertilizer in a small tank. I feed around 1/2 acre of squash, pumpkins, watermelon and muskmelon using the 3 gallon version. I routinely dump 25lbs of 10-0-10 Calcium Nitrate and 10-15lbs of 13.75-0-45 Potassium Nitrate in the injector depending on the stage of growth.

This is pushed out thru around 2400ft of drip tube that is placed subsurface next to the plants in the rows. I have had fantastic results and I routinely use 2/3 less fertilizer than if I had conventionally incorporated and side dressed. Cost is only marginally lower due to the need to buy greenhouse grade water soluble fertilizer. Champion and Peters are two good brands. Check your local hort supply store. 50lbs of Potassium Nitrate can most likely be had for $17-$20. Peters 20-20-20 all purpose in 25lb bags can usually be had for around $30. Compare that to 5lbs of MG at the local big box for $10.

This year was the wettest year in my neck of Wisconsin for over 10 years. Most of the corn looks very sick due to nitrogen leaching past the roots. My melons however did very well. Since only small amounts of Nitrogen were leeched during any one particular rain I avoided ground water contamination AND I was able to keep supplying my veggies with nutrients very close to the rates they needed for optimum production.

I know of no other cheap system that works as well as the EZ-FLO for the price. Set on the fast selection my fertilizer tank is empty after around 6.5 days or around 12,000 gallons of water. I use a bypass with a valve so I can control how much concentrate goes out. This is an optional purchase which was a must for me.

I would love to use organics but the cost makes no sense. Even the liquid fishy crap would require typically 5 times the amount of material as the chemical stuff. If the cost was only marginally more then I would use it. Organic veggies without having 400 head of cattle just is not commercially viable for the smaller grower. Maybe someday.

i recently purchased the ez flo 3/4 gallon, and intend to use it on a drip line for 1 line of trees/shrubs.There are approximately 20 trees.The line goes on via a timer for 1hour each night.Ive got the drips set between 5 and 10 gallons per tree for the hour.I have miracle gro water soluble fertilizer….My question is, how much should i put in the ez flo container?