What ORAGNIC fertilizer to use ? Vancouver Canada?

What is best to use as ORAGNIC fertilizer ? Last time I used some fertilizer from the shop was a nightmare to dilute through the special spray nozzle bottle and I ended up doing it with a normal plastic watering can .and I ended up burning several plants especially my hostas leaves. I need to fertilize Buternut sqash , roses , lettuce and all my normal garden flowers. Thanks for advice .

 

Burnt plants after fertilizing is not an organic vs. non-organic issue. All undiluted fertilizers will burn plants (anyone have a dog?). Usually though, fertilizers of natural origin tend to be less concentrated in the package and therefore it is less critical getting to the correct dilution.

You can try fish meal, blood meal, or bone meal if you want but you can use any fertilizer as long as directions are followed (manual measuring only, no special spray nozzles)

 

Hi vicarious--after decades of gardening in this area, I'm finding a spring application of alfalfa meal on the flower beds working better than anything else...scratched into the surface of the soil it feeds pretty well everything thru the season.

The veggie garden might take a bit more intensive feeding, like with "Steve Solomon's complete organic fertilizer" that Territorial and I think West Coast seeds make reference to in their catalogues. That's what I've always used there to "cover the bases" so to speak, and then just watch the plants to see if they are thriving or need another boost during the growing season.

At this point you're obviously having to think liquid feeding, and I agree it's a matter of careful measuring to avoid burning, organic or not. I see some promising liquid organic ferts in the stores nowadays, but recommending one over another would be debatable. Mostly your squash need enough nitrogen right now to get some growth before setting and filling the fruit. For sure make sure they are well watered before and after fertilizing, with mid-summer weather they can get burnt even when following directions if the roots aren't well hydrated.

 

Hello..
Thank you so much . I JUST GOT the West coast catalogue from a new aquaintaince of mine . So will take a drive to Ladner to get an organic fertilizer . They say on the phone they don't have that specific one but I guess another should do. I tried the spray thing that was supposed to dilute the blue fertilizer powder but the water stayed clear and nothing came about and the blue residue was left like a slug inside that is why I switched to a water can and tried to diluet by hand . I have fairly tight planting for my flowers so is VERY difficult to go to the bottom . Like the bottom of Dalias are all smaller more transparent flower type . Mmm but I would love to give a boost to my Lettuces etc..They never look as full and lush as the ones in the stores .. but taste great. I guess that's the HOME grown look compared to industrial farming. Like all my Romaine lettuce is like a little spiraled upwards the leaves aren't straight up like the ones from teh shop..I keep taking from the side and I wonder when must/can/should I plant new ones to last till later in the year. I am European just spend 10 years in South Africa Johnnesburg where veggies were organic cheap in stores and plenty available.
I planted beans with my roses here the red flame with yellow leaves. Do they make beans also or are only decorative? Sorry for asking all these questions but you are the 1st one from THIS area to reply . Before I got advise from people in Austrialia and USA etc quite amazing this site worldwide coverage.
Thank you.
Victor
will see if I can get Alfalfa meal now at RONA or Garden works.
Where do I get NITROGENE for the butternut does it come in bottles or powder or mix ?

 

Hi again vicarious--good for you gardening in a new place, I'm sure I'd be pretty confused trying to figure out South African gardening after living here all my life!

I think you're in good hands talking to the West Coast folks, they are a passionate little company trying to promote good varieties and organic strategies for gardening in this area. The "Solomon" fertilizer would be similar to what they sell as "Mary's Mix" and is a well proven general organic mixture that works especially well when planting the veggies.

Dry fertilizers will be less effective this time of year since we need nutrients right away...the sun is strong, temperatures nice and warm, the plants can really grow now if we feed and water. I'm sure West Coast can recommend a liquid for example. I would water my plants thoroughly, as with a sprinkler, before fertlizing, then sprinkle a while afterward to make sure the fertilizer works it's way into the root area of my plants. Both the lettuce and butternuts need adequate nitrogen, which would come from a liquid if it is not already mixed into the soil when planting...this is the first number of 3 on the label showing the nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium content of any fertilizer.

Romaine lettuce is a devil to grow this time of year, we have such long daylengths it always wants to go to seed as soon as it gets any size. I believe you can sow more lettuce right now, and it will be easier to harvest nice lettuce from that crop as the days shorten and cool off. Most important with lettuce here, water, water, water. Even then I get rather bitter lettuce in mid-summer...this is just a challenging time of year (it's actually easier to grow lettuce right now in California than here...again because of that daylength issue!)

Personally I'd wait till next spring to get alfalfa meal, then try to buy a large quantity. I've mentioned a few times that Otter Co-op in Langley sells feed sacks of this for under $10...I believe others have found sources closer to Vancouver for those of you up that way. Garden centres sometimes charge a lot for packaging the stuff in smaller bags, and a sackfull disappears quickly around my garden so I'd always buy it in larger amounts.

 

Alfalfa is one of my favorites, anyone ever looked into Tricantanol / Tricontanol? :D

"...On the other hand, many attempts to develop alternative methods for producing the plant growth regulators have been made. Rice et al. confirmed that tricontanol isolated from alfalfa meal promotes the growth of corn, barley, rice and tomato (Science 195: 1339-1341,1997). Also, it was reported that tricontanol increased yields of rice by 14.8-41 %, depending on the plant breeding, cabbage by 83 %, and radish by 108.4 % (Cho et al., a research report published by The Ministry of Science and Technology, Korea,"Study on plant growth regulators", 1983). However, such tricontanol had a drawback of a high production cost. The synthesis method of tricontanol was developed by Rao et al (Organic preparation and procedures, International, 24: 67-70,1992), but tricontanol produced according to the method is not yet commercially available...."
excerpted from: http://www.wipo.int/pctdb/en/wo.jsp?IA=KR2002000446&DISPLAY=DESC

 

Hi,

I'm interested in the alfalfa meal for fertilising. Is this the same as alfalfa pellets? How do you use it? Dig it into the soil in the spring? Mulch with it? How long would a big bag of meal remain viable? What sort of amount would you use per square yard/metre?

I have had good luck with Oak leaf lettuce, red sails and green sails lettuce not bolting in the hot summer days. My arugula on the other hand seems to bolt very young. I should try it in partial shade. I have been broadcasting it in a bed. Does anyone know if it would be better to thin and grow with space around it? We have hot days and very cool nights - 3-9C, then 30C during the day.

Thanks for the info.

 

Hi Johnny--I've seen the pellets used more than the meal, tho I prefer to mix things more evenly into the soil so use the meal...it just tends to blow around a lot more if its windy!

Like most other dry organics, it needs to be incorporated into the soil to allow microbes to break it into useable plant food...so I try to rake it into the soil of established flower beds as deeply as the planting allows in spring. In the veggie garden it can be mixed into the furrow or below the individual planting site depending on the crop.

 

If i understand your thread subject correctly you are located in B.C. and are looking for organic fers? If i'm not mistaken any horticulture or hydroponic grow store or nursurey will have all ou need. As well, depending on the type of plants you are cultivating you may be able to order perts and other nutes through said stores. Just talk to the people in the place they are usually pretty friendly and willing to help.

Depending on what your looking for i can ask around for premium stores and nursery's.

 

Thank you Growest,

I'm in the midst of preparing a new veg bed so will incorporate some alfalfa. Would you do this once a year in spring say, or every time you change crops? I have some pellets that are a few years old, rabbit food. I will have a look for some fresh stuff. I suspect nitrogen does not hang around for long in a bag.

Johnnyjumpup

 

You can generaly find Alfalfa Meal at "3 – 2 – 2" or "2.5 – 1 – 1" Pretty close if you ask me. I am unsure of the diffrence, but i can tell you that the second set or numbers came off my box of Alfalfa Meal from "Down to Earth." The only value to the pellets would be for long term release.

I have tried working on a formula for my plants with fertilizers and it's just hard. Lots and lots of trial and error. Anybody out there have any experience or avice?

 

Johnny--the nitrogen will keep fine in the alfalfa as long as the bag is kept dry. It is actually the protein in the alfalfa that provides the nitrogen, and that is very stable over many years until mixed into your moist soil.

I fertilize shrub beds and other perennial areas just in spring. I might add another "dose" of meal when starting a second crop in the veggie garden if it requires higher nitrogen levels, like fall spinach or cabbage family crops.

 

Thanks Growest,

I appreciate the tips about the alfalfa pellets. They have been kept dry so I'm ok there.
Thanks again,

Johnnyjumpup

 

I LOVE LOVE LOVE Sea Soil as a soil improver before planting and also as a mulch. It's "made" in BC (logging and fish waste composted two years). Another one I have not yet tried is called Unique: pig manure and sawdust composted so that it is odorless. Google them...

 

Seasoil is good stuff. I dont currently have a garden (condo dweller) but I can tell you that my inlaws in Squamish have a routine. After a big winter storm they will go to the beach and collect 5 gallon buckets of the kelps and seaweed that gets blown on to the beach, they spread this over the fallow garden. In spring they top dress with alfalfa pellets (from otter co op) and rototill the whole lot together. We benefit from their labours and are lavished with veggies every time they come to visit :D

 

I've heard good things about Sea Soil but have never seen it for sale in the interior. I don't get down to the coast very often. The Unique sounds intriguing especially if they have managed to render the eyewatering pig manure smell odourless. I thought sawdust took 5 to 7 yrs to break down. The power of pig manure I guess.

Johnnyjumpup