Specialty Gardening: Container Soils - Water Movement and Retention III , 1 by tapla

tapla wrote:
Many thanks for the clarification info. Looks like I can find Turface easily in this area.
(I was mixed up about the perlite. From what I understand now, the Turface in the gritty mix does the same job as the peat in the basic soil mix and is the water-holding material. The crushed granite in the gritty mix takes the place of the perlite in the basic mix and is the drainage/aeration material.)

Close enough that it doesn't need clarification. You got it.


If I don't use a time-release fertilizer, what strength and frequency do you recommend using the Foliage-Pro 9-3-6, which if I understand correctly, you apply with every watering? I would imagine the instructions give the dosage if using with every watering, so perhaps I've answered my own question!

I fertilize with every watering in the winter, because I over-winter only about 100 plants indoors. In the summer with 300+ containers to attend to and no fertilizer injection system, it's not practical for me to fertilize at every watering, so I try to fertilize every week or two, depending on how robustly everything is growing. I pretty much use leaf color as my guide to when plants actually NEED fertilizer, but after a while, you get pretty good at anticipating your plants nutrient needs and supplying them before they show a need. Fortunately, you have a much wider margin for error in both fertilizing AND watering when using fast (draining) soils that allow you to flush the soil when you water. I think the 'recommended' dose on the 9-3-6 label is too light in most cases. I'm able to fertilize at 4-5 teaspoons in 2-1/2 gallons of water weekly when plants are growing well and it seems to be just right. If it's cool or hot, I'll either increase the interval between fertilizing or decrease the dose.

I don't really know where the best place to get the FP 9-3-6 is. I either pick it up in CHI where I buy bark for the gritty mix (no freight), or just shop around online for the best buy.

Gymgirl/Gilraen: Your new theme song. Pay particular attention to the chorus!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LBn6rq8OlE

Al