Simple questions about fertilizers

 


Hello.

I have some simple questions about fertilizers.

For the last few days I've spent a lot of time figuring out ideal
profiles for fertilizers for indoor tomatoes.  

I wrote a program that figures out how to mix seperate fertilizers
together to better match your custom fertilizer profile.  Which is
great (and bloody genius), but..

.figuring out an ideal fertilizer profile for tomatoes is difficult.
Lots of info online is contradictory.

Typically, tomato fertilizers on the shelf are 3-2-5.

For instance, Phostrogen Plant Food and Chempak Tomato Food are close
to a 3-2-5, have trace elements and seem like great plant foods for
tomatoes.

But the fortnightly dose is 516ppm-328ppm-829ppm.  So all at once, that
concentration is added to the soil.  Why isn't that a problem?

(That was the first simple question.  Here comes the second.)


Why is it better to feed a plant with emphasis on a particular
nutrient?  

Isn't the plant going to take what it needs?  In other words, if you
use a balance fertilizer, say, 6-6-6 at 100ppm, and the plant needs
more Potassium, couldn't you just increase the concentration of 6-6-6
to, say, 150ppm instead of changing to a fertilizer that's, say, 6-6-8?


Simply what I'm asking is: does a plant take only what it needs from
the soil, or does a plant eat everything it's given?

If the first is true, then we need only use a balanced fertilizer and
increase the ppm to suit.  If the second is true, then altering the
ratio and the ppm would be necessary.

Btw, I know most of you are organic growers. This is just an exercise
for me, to figure this out.  So please, you don't need to tell me of
the evils of non-organic fertilizers.




--
Korleone

 



Well, then you already know the answer. But why ask a question if you
already know the answer? There can only be one answer for that ;-)
--

Billy
Bush and Pelosi Behind Bars

 


The question wasn't specific to non-organic methods.  It was about plant
behaviour generally.  If there was only one answer, you didn't have it.
:)

Besides, I've figured it out.  Plants are gluttons.  They will eat all
they can.
 They can't pick and choose, otherwise there would be no such
thing as nute
burn.  Adjusting NPK ratios and/or ppm is necessary for a
nutrient deficiency.
Pretty obvious really, but I forgot about
overdosing.  

Fertilizing can be a difficult thing.  You want to give your plants
what they
need in optimal doses but not too much of a good thing.
There's no exact
formula to it, but you should be aware of rough
guidelines.  Listening to the
plants is one thing, but knowing how to
push your plants to the top of their
potential without pushing them
over a cliff is another.

The same goes for raising children I suppose.  Except you can't eat
them(legally).




--
Korleone

 



Spunky little ignoramus ain't you?;o)

Learned yourself up on macro-nutrients, eh?, and now you know farming up
to 1930. I hope you do your farming hydroponically and leave the soil
alone. Organic gardening means, "take care of the soil, and the soil
will take care of your plants". But you already knew that, humm?

Well here is the tip of an iceberg for you:
"Harsh chemicals can scorch young leaves, and nitrogen fertilizers
render lettuces more vulnerable to insects. It seems the bugs are
attracted to the free nitrogen in their leaves, and because of the more
rapid growth of chemically nourished plants, insects find their leaves
easier to pierce." - Omnivore's Dilemma, pg. 165.

Your reading list:

Teaming with Microbes: A Gardener's Guide to the Soil Food Web
Jeff Lowenfels and Wayne Lewis
(Amazon.com product link shortened)
/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid06815176&sr=1-1

The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals by Michael Pollan
 
(Amazon.com product link shortened)
83/ref=pd_bbs_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid06815576&sr=1-1

(Not a book) The Worst Mistake In The History Of The Human Race
www.environnement.ens.fr/perso/claessen/agriculture/mistake_jared_diamond
.pdf

Keep us appraised of your success ;o)
--

Billy
Bush and Pelosi Behind Bars

 


'Billy[_4_ Wrote:

I'll repeat myself, juuust so we're clear he  THIS HAS ABSOLUTELY
NOTHING TO DO WITH THE ARGUMENT FOR OR AGAINST ORGANIC METHODS.

I didn't mention once that I was interested in fertilizers that weren't
of animal or plant origin.  In fact, my question has nothing to do with
fertilizers.  I asked a simple question on how plants work.

I understand your pedestal must be very comfy, you clearly know
everything there is to know about horticulture and you were born with
this knowledge and God forbid anyone should know any less.


btw, ... THIS HAS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO WITH THE ARGUMENT FOR OR
AGAINST ORGANIC METHODS.

Just wanted to pop into a nice gardening forum, ask some friendly and
simple questions.  Friendly.  Simple.  Yes?

I am actually grateful for the reading list however.  

I recommend the following:
http://tinyurl.com/3p9kha

And not available on Amazon, but I recommend you look out for these:
Growing the Dogmatic Way by Yura Duszbahg, and
The Real Wiccan's Guide to Dryhumping Your Opinion Into Every
Conversation.

Please don't reply.  I really can't be bothered.  
And if you do reply, it's sort of, in a way, basically the same as
admitting to child abuse.  If you think about it.




--
Korleone