Hi friends!
I just came into possession of a large bag of bone meal, and I'm wondering how best to use it. I know enough not to put it on my hibs, so got to thinking that some of the others may not like it much either. Before I resort to looking up each plant individually (which will consume hours!), I thought I'd pose the question here. Does anyone know for sure of plants that really like additional doses of phosphorous? Don't be shy...jump right in here and let me know.
Thanks in advance...
Yokwe,
Shari
Phosphorous lovers?
Shari, supposedly bulbs, roses, gardenias, like it. I read that bone meal breaks down slowly, so it doesn't feed as fast as, let's say, chicken poop would.
But, no expert here, so use caution... I personally give my bulbs and gardenia coffee, though I have a small bag of bone-meal.
Hugs,
Alexandra
I understand that unless it's burned, bone meal breaks down very slowly so the phosphorus shouldn't be a problem. Shortage of phosphorus can lead to micro/trace elements being bound up in the soil and inaccessible to plants. Unless seabirds have made it a habit to leave their 'calling-cards' there over the ages, I'd say your soils would probably be a bit phosphorus deficient.
i use bonemeal for almost anything, i have noticed my impatiens and gerbera daisies like it. succelent plants like it too, i think. but i am no expert either!
westraad
Thanks everyone for the input. Since I can only garden in pots, a little goes a long way. I will start looking them up, but bulbs, impatiens, and succulents will be the first recipients.
Thanks again!
Yokwe,
Shari
Turn it into your kitchen garden.
Grow, tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, Swiss chard, beets, collards, mustard, etc.
Ha ha Dave! We have tried growing such wonderful veges out here, but they all just become fodder for the rats and crabs. Sort of gave up. But out of curiosity, I take it that you mean these veges benefit from extra phosphorous?
Yokwe,
Shari
Yes, calcium and phosphorus are great for those plants; especially tomatoes!
good to know, i'll remember that when i plant my tomatoes!
isaac
Shari, we have that problem along the coast here. The crabs shred most vegetation, it's hard to get a garden going. I'm lucky I'm away from the coast. But you're better off trying to get Asian vegetables. A lot of people come here trying to grow cold climate gardens then finally give up saying nothing will grow. Tomatos are one of the few cold climate ones that do grow, but only during winter.
what is it that the bananas like...P....oh..potassium?
Hi Randy,
N = nitrogen.
P = phosphorus.
K = potassium.
Yes, Bananas love potassium.
I used to have several banana trees right next to our front door, but i had to take them out, too many mosquitoes! they loved breeding in that little bit of water at the base of the leaves. since we have a small yard, didn't have room for them elsewhere. Maybe one day when i have room i'l get some banana trees again.
isaac
Hi all, my problem with veges isn't that they don't grow...they do! But they are a siren call to all the crabs, rats and other unfamily friendly critters in the area. We are too small a place. Most fruiting trees, veges, and such like are waaay down at the other end of the island away from all residences...so just the industrial area has to put up with the critters.
My question on phosphorous was mainly regarding ornamentals in pots. So thanks again for all the input!
Yokwe,
Shari
Is most of your garden in pots too, Shari? My whole front yard is basically pots, due to the trees under which they are. i tried at first planting them in the ground and fertilizing them often, but the tree roots took all the plant food and water.
a small area in the back i have a small flower bed, but small because the rest of our yard gets extreme winds.
Isaac
Hi Isaac, yes, I am almost completely a container gardener here on Kwaj. My island is part of a coral atoll...and the "soil" is pretty much just sand and coral dust. There isn't enough real dirt for anything to grow other than palm trees and some native salt hardy plants. Getting top soil out here is a rare and expensive proposition, so we leave that to the army. When it happens...we throw a party!!!! We are also very limited in planting because of the infrastructure of pipes and cables necessary to a modern way of life. the rule of thumb here is no more than 6 inches. So...pots it is, and pots it will be for the foreseeable future.
Yokwe,
Shari
When coral and sand breaks down all you get is finer coral and sand.
Years ago on Maui, I managed to get somewhat of a garden growing in coral sand by adding a lot of sulfur.
We have visions out here of the roots of the palms and Kamani trees growing down under the coral and actually holding up the island! Its a funny thought. Picture beautiful tropical fish swimming around tree roots, more coral growing on the roots....a cycle that keeps us afloat. I'm sure that is not reality...but it is a funny thought.
Yokwe,
Shari
Where does your water come from Shari? I imagine like most coral atolls you don't have a big reservoir back up in the mountains. ;O)
sounds weird, coral fish with tree roots! i do sympathize, but i guess pots are better than nothing. i have a very good friend in Portugal who lives in an apartment with her husband, all they have is a few pots on their small balcony. what she loves doing, is go for walks and take pictures of flowers and then send them to me. she shares my love for gardening.
Isaac
We have a catchment system, lens wells and a desalinization plant. We rarely have a shortage of water, and generally have enough to share with neighboring islands during times of need. Plus, being a military base, should the need arrise, they would fly in water to us...as they did this past year to our sister islands to the north - Roi-Namur. They had a flood during a tropical storm last spring, and all their water was contaminated...the Army flew in water and engineers to help repair the problem ASAP. Some times it is good to be part of the "system".
Yokwe,
Shari
I was wondering how you'd go. I know the freshwater lens is a fairly fragile thing. They have problems in Vanuatu on some of the islands where population and development can't be supplied by the lens. You've definitely got more chance getting help through a defence budget rather than a humanitarian budget.
Trying to tap the lens has always been a problem.
Catchment keeps us alive in any unserviced Island development!
I am always fascinated by the different methodologies of water reclamation...whenever we travel, I find myself looking for telltale signs. The most interesting I have seen was Gibraltar. Right in the rock!!
Share a swallow with a friend....
Yokwe,
Shari