Gritty Mix + Citrus Plants + Foilage Pro - Questions
redshirtcat
13 years ago
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tn_veggie_gardner
13 years agolast modified: 9 years agoredshirtcat
13 years agolast modified: 9 years agoRelated Discussions
Excuse me, Al's Gritty Mix 1-1-1 question
Comments (2)1) All plants have rhythms (search endogenous/circadian) that control how they react throughout the growth cycle, the primary stimulus being photoperiod. My plants in the basement, with only 1 small window at the far end and growing under timed lights, 'know' when the spring equinox has arrived, because that's when they begin to grow in earnest. It's possible to trick a plant into ignoring what would be its natural rhythm by very closely controlling photoperiod, but it's not easy. Your citrus tree will grow in spurts. You can repot at the end of a growth spurt if you wish, but it's better to repot in April. Still, with the cool temperatures we've been having here in MI, it wouldn't be too far off the mark if you hurried and repotted now. 2) Screen your Turface MVP over insect screen and use the fines for something else. Screen the crushed granite or cherrystone over insect screen to remove the dust. For bark, use what passes a 3/8 screen (1/2 is ok if you can't find 3/8) and what doesn't pass a 1/8 screen. 3) Yes 4) Saw off the bottom half of the root mass, then cut 2-3 pie-shaped wedges into the remaining roots that will eliminate half of what remains. Next spring, you will remove the other half of the roots by removing the wedges that remain, then skip a couple of years. Zone 5b, eh? What city/town do you live in/near? Al...See MorePros and Cons of 511/ Gritty mix and peat based potting soil
Comments (86)The thread is over 2 years old but the subject is still fresh and interesting. With respect to pros and cons of 5-1-1 , there are several issues: 1) Its effectiveness, as far as plants are concerned. An I am considering annual plants like tomatoes, peppers, eggplants. NOT house plants. 2) Cost Effectiveness: 3) Growers' convenience. I am a pro on (1) and (2) but con on (3). Since 5--1-1 does not come in ready to use form, it requires some efforts to procure the ingredients, quality check, mix, add calcium/magnesium (Lime), store your mix ... In this respect, it is not for everyone. On number (2) , cost effectiveness, It all depends where you are, what your sources are. Currently I make my own mix for under $3.00 per cf. Even if ready mixed potting soils like MG or Pro Mix cost about the same (which is unlikely) , I still prefer my own 5-1-1 mix for its EFFECTIVENESS in drainage and correct moisture retention. I have to mentioned that, I have been studying container media for the last 4 months of my gardening winter break. And with my past experience with media like MG, I have come to the belief that the bark based 5-1-1 is a better option. I might even try to modify it to some extent to better suit my application and climate. But it will remain basically BARK-BASED....See MoreOlder container citrus transplanted to gritty mix
Comments (5)Thanks, I read about Foliage Pro 9-3-6 and got a quart delivered from Amazon. It seems to provide everything needed. I'm giving bareroot transplants very modest (1/4 strength) the first week, and notched it up slightly for the second week. This comes after regular heavy watering on the weekend, so things are very mild, but there is some nutrient. The Valencia orange (Campbell actually) has shed some older, yellowish, mostly damaged leaves, but nothing alarming, and no fruit buds lost - just a little drooping after a warmer day, but it perked up the next day after a scheduled watering. The Meyer that was barerooted is acting like nothing happened. I may be imagining, but I think the leaves are turning greener....See MoreGritty mix for nm citrus?
Comments (12)I thought about miracle grow soil, I used a citrus and cactus blend almost 10 years ago for my cacti with good success. More recently 5 years or so ago I used their potting soil for some kale and it did well but the bag had millions of fungus gnats. Probably more a problem with the local storage conditions then the company but it did turn me off it till now. Given what I know now, I don't want to use the citrus and cactus mix because it contains sand but I will have to check to see what is in the garden soil. Miracle grow is always on sale, which could go either way in my opinion. I'm pretty happy with my current mix but it is very lightweight which works against me due to my clumsy dog and frequent winds. I also have zero experience with citrus before this so am really open to any suggestions. I've been trying to locate other options locally such as the gritty mix in case I need an emergency remedy I can fix things fast but my area is pretty generic so far. Thank you Silica for your input!...See Moreredshirtcat
13 years agolast modified: 9 years agotapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
13 years agolast modified: 9 years agoredshirtcat
13 years agolast modified: 9 years agotapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
13 years agolast modified: 9 years agoredshirtcat
13 years agolast modified: 9 years agotapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
13 years agolast modified: 9 years agojodik_gw
13 years agolast modified: 9 years agoredshirtcat
13 years agolast modified: 9 years agojojosplants
13 years agolast modified: 9 years agotapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
13 years agolast modified: 9 years agojojosplants
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13 years agolast modified: 9 years agojodik_gw
13 years agolast modified: 9 years agotapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
13 years agolast modified: 9 years agojodik_gw
13 years agolast modified: 9 years agoJessicasgrowincitrus
13 years agolast modified: 9 years agotapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
13 years agolast modified: 9 years agojojosplants
13 years agolast modified: 9 years agomeyermike_1micha
13 years agolast modified: 9 years agojodik_gw
13 years agolast modified: 9 years agojojosplants
13 years agolast modified: 9 years agoredshirtcat
13 years agolast modified: 9 years agoJessicasgrowincitrus
13 years agolast modified: 9 years agotapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
13 years agolast modified: 9 years agojodik_gw
13 years agolast modified: 9 years agomeyermike_1micha
13 years agolast modified: 9 years agoredshirtcat
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13 years agolast modified: 9 years agoLoveplants2 8b Virginia Beach, Virginia
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13 years agolast modified: 9 years agogreenman28 NorCal 7b/8a
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9 years agolast modified: 9 years agotapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
9 years agolast modified: 9 years ago
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tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)