Miracle Clematis Fertilizer???

I hate to admit what a sucker I am, but I saw this ad online about a miracle organic clematis fertilizer, and yes I paid $20.00 to get the "recipe". What do you all think of this recipe? Should I use it?
1 can beer
1 cup epsom salt
1/2 cup ammonia
2 cups water

Mix together and add 1/2 oz to 1 gallon of water, feed every 2 weeks.
What do you use as a liquid clematis fertilizer?

i just posted this recipe on another thread a few days ago. i bought it online several years ago for 17$! i like to share it too.
i use ironite plus liquid more often than i use this, but i do mix this up and use it a few times a year when certain clems are looking yellow greenish or seem stalled in growth.

however, i think mine said use 1 oz to a gallon....or if i have made an error with the recipe...i use 1 oz to a gallon not half oz.

glad i am not the only one who bought it....and shares it freely!

Thank you ClematisGuru. I wish I would have seen your thread first. I am glad you approve of the recipe. The moral of my story, is don't buy things online after a glass of wine in the evening.

ooh too true. i have ordered clems and perennial geraniums and all kinds of things when sipping vino! haven't we all!

keep me posted on how the recipe works for you!

i may be using some this weekend for some peakish clems!

What does the ammonia do? Would it be okay to use around roses?

BTW nothing worse than a few drinks and a credit card. I am so guilty of that too.

I have a few young clems in pots that have yellowish leaves and I've been wondering what to feed them.
I recently bought ironite plus in granular form. I'm wondering which of these would be better for the clems. Also, how long can this recipe be stored? The thought of using ammonia on my clems scares me a little, but if you have used it, I'm sure it's safe.

This message was edited Jul 4, 2009 1:23 AM

Guru just curious......you are to use this potion as a fertilizer right? That would mean you shouldn't apply it to plants in blooms or that have formed buds correct? I would like to try this recipe soon.

dawn, i have not used it on a plant in bud or bloom.

the ammonia helps in the uptake of nutrients i believe. i do not pour it on the stem area, just the surrounding soil, or the clems "real estate"......

i have stored it for a couple of weeks if i did not make gallons out of the whole batch....butnever needed to store it longer. maybe make half a batch if you won't be using a lot of it?

sharkey, try the recipe even tho you have the granular in there. might stimulate them to action. first thing to suspect on yellowish leaves is overwatering or drainage issues which is a form of overwatering as it is not drying out if this is the case. if you think it is overwatering or drainage, let the plant dry out before watering and then using this.....adding it to soggy soil that is too wet or not draining will not help anything.
sometimes other things cause the yellowish leaves, but always investigate drainage and overwatering first. easiest and most common solution.

The ammonia is a low level source of nitrogen. Not related to the topic, exactly, but it is interesting to note that a 10 to 1 mixture of water and ammonia can be used against slugs. Spraying it on the slugs or snails will dissolve them. You can also spray it on hostas to get the tiny slugs that hide inside the plant, and will act as a mild fertilizer too.

There has been numerous discussions on forums on the effects of these sorts of tonics; some people believe in them and others think it's hogwash. For lively discussions on the subject of homemade tonics, search "Jerry Baker" at Garden Web.

For more information on ammonia as a fertilizers, see here...
http://www.paghat.com/ammonia.html

***** Warning ***** Newbie Clem Owner ******* Question *******


Why would you not fertilize when the clem is in bloom?

Sorry for such a stupid question but it just seems to me that that would be when the plant needs extra as the strain of the blooms would deplete the plant.

Janet

janet when the clem is in bud and bloom stage it is using stored nutrients and concentrating on blooming. when you fertilize it in these stages, it confuses the plant as to whether it should put out growth of stem and leaves, develop more root or take care of the blooms. this can result in a shorter bloom period. best to let it use the stored fuel and replenish as soon as the bloom period is over, preferably with some trimming unless it is a p1 clem that you want to retain all vine on.
i am sure some will have a more scientific explanatin but this is it in a nutshell from my laymans understanding and working garden knowledge.

OK makes sense, I just couldn't figure it out as most of my other flowers I fertilize off an on during bloom in order to have more blooms....

Janet

Is it OK to fertilize clems while in bloom if you use a low nitrogen fertilizer? This recipe should not be high in nitrogen? What does the beer have that the clems like?

I was wondering the same thing about the beer as I was mixing my brew today. I fed it to all of my liners that I have potted up. Tomorrow I will probably give it to a few of my more mature plants that need a boost. I was also thinking about how much we trust one another. I would have never given my clems something like this without the recommendation of our clem friends.
I found one tall beer in the back of the frig. I couldn't remember how many ounces are in a regular can of beer, so I poured what I thought would be right and drank the remainder.

personally i do not fertilize in bud or bloom period. i top dress and feed several times in the early growth stage of the clems spring and stop as soon as flower bud formation begins. when blooms are waning or stopped i fertilize again and freshen the top dressing with nia's posy power or composted manure with other ingredient added such as vermiculite, oysters shell, bit of bone meal etc. i do not have a consistent recipe for the top dressing , just kind of what is on hand kind of mixture.

annuals can be fertilized when bloom of course. but you are not trying to create a plant that will grow thru many years and has a root system that is much shallower and different than a clem.
others may handle their clems with success with another set of guidelines, not sure, but this is how i handle it.

CG I don't waste time with annuals other than say 4 or 5 plants of them for small container.

I'm a perennial person they have to come back year after year to get me to spend the money on them. I love the challenge of having something in bloom all season long along with winter interest as well..

Well the beetles have just eaten my proteus blooms to pieces. Since this isn't a C3 how can I bring it back to beauty.... Most if not all blooms are gone just a few still coming out, should I wait longer before top dressing it? my top dressing consists of sweet peat and leaf humus. My all time favorite for all plants. Haven't met a plant that doesn't love that combo....

Janet

i would deadhead and also top off the vines with buds on them, use insecticide in the area around the base of the clem, fertilize and top dress. the bugs aren't going away unless you take action and at this point you just want to get the bugs off and encourage the plant to think about next year. taking off the top few inches of a vine that blooms double on old wood will not hurt the display next year on this plant.

what kind of beetle janet? not a japanese beetle? i have never known them to eat on clems (THANK GOODNESS)

help those darn Japanese beetles...

Look at my poor conflower

Janet

So since they have distroyed the petals I've taken to giving them a hair cut.

Don't ya like the crew cut???LOL

Janet

ok now back to clems.....

janet you have to do something to get rid of them before they start eating the leaves and stems of your clems. god forbid that this would happen.
soap and water spray and taking the blooms away will not do it at this point.

I need to know if it is okay to feed some of the clems Bayer 3 in 1 liquid after also feeding them this "brew." I recently pruned some of my clems and want to feed them Bayer, but also fed them the brew a couple of days ago.

you don't really feed the bayer in one, it is a topical spray..or are you talking about the systemic bayer product for roses that can be used on clems? not sure. sorry. if it is the bayer three w spray i have done both at once, but i try and avoid using 3 in in one right on the clem unless there is a serious problem. i spray it on the ground and ground covers around the clem.

with the systemic granule, can't remember the name of those but they are bayer i would not do both at once. maybe a week apart....i use those on my few roses, but generally speaking not on clems.

This is the 3-in-1 systemic liquid product that you mix with water and feed a qt. to the roses around the base of the plant. I was already using it on my roses, but thought I read in a thread a few months ago where some of you were using it for clems as well. I may have misunderstood. So, I started doing that. Someone said "what's good for roses is good for clems."
When someone on the rose forum said he used Bayer to spray roses, I called the 800 number at Bayer and they told me that this product I'm using is not to be used as a spray. So, I bought another Bayer product that you mix with water in a sprayer to spray for various insects, but it is not a fertilizer. It may be the one you are using on your mulch. I didn't spray the clems, however.

Shouldn't you fertilize immediately after pruning? I didn't know if the "brew" was sufficient fertilizer to use after pruning and didn't know if I should use both.

I'm almost positive that the brew is very weak, so I wouldn't use it as a replacement fertilizer for exhausted clems. I'm a big fan of quality commercial fertilizers because they have been tested and the appropriate dosage is on the package. Over fertilizing can be worse than not enough. Just my opinion, and I mean no offense to anyone.

This message was edited Jul 6, 2009 9:28 PM

I think all of the Bayer products are very good ones. The 3 in 1 was highly recommended for my roses last yr by the local ag extension office. I even use it on my knock out roses, even though they are not supposed to need any pampering. I was afraid of over fertilizing, which is why I asked the question about using both. But, you're right. By the time you mix the other ingredients with water, then add an ounce to a gallon of water, it seems that it is pretty weak. Right?

I use the same Bayer 3 in 1 that you use. I bought it at the same time that I bought my knockout roses because it was recommended by the nursery. I've also been using it for the clematis because it is also supposed to be good for other shrubs and flowers. So far all my plants (except John H.) are loving it.

That is my guess, Sharkey, but.... I would hold off on using both just to be safe. Use your good fertilizer, then maybe wait a couple of weeks if you want to use the juice. I have a weak folier fish fertilizer that I plan on testing on a weak G2, but I'm going to wait a week or two following the commercial fertilizer. I love the clem, but it seems to be slowly fading away, so if I do give it a bit too much fertilizer it isn't a huge loss.

My knockout rose all got blackspot and powdery mildew. I wish I had known about Bayer 3 in 1 at the time. I've tossed a lot of roses.

That recipe originate from Jerry Baker eons ago..I got it from some of his Grandma Putts recipes in his book about 25 years ago..she used in her gardens all the time...Jeanne
http://www.jerrybaker.com/

Lots of good stuff here for a newbie! What is the dosage of the diluted solution??

I'm not sure but what I might have a drainage problem as I have 2 little bitty one year clems. One is doing fine in growth and didn't flower, but the one on the other side of the sidewalk put on 2 blooms and never any more leaves and has been yellowish for weeks now.