Miracle Gro LIQUAFEEDER question for my pots
15 years ago
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- 15 years ago
- 15 years ago
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Miracle Gro Potting mix problems
Comments (66)Irene, I'd like to send you a personal message, but your settings don't allow. Maybe you'd consider sending me your email addy in a Houzz message? Sometimes explanations get lost in the back and forth between people with different viewpoints, but the fact is, soils with a large % of fine particles are always going to pose limitations that result from too much water retention. Even though that fact is carved in stone and can't be argued (because it's governed by predictable laws of physics), there are those very few that insist on arguing the point over and over. Any roots existing within the perched water column will be deprived of O2 for the duration of the saturation. I made that last period bold, but you probably didn't even notice. ;-) The question isn't whether geography or hot dry hurricane windy conditions lift the limitation imposed by the saturation, they don't; the only question is, "How long will the limitations last". In many cases, the answer is measured in weeks, in some cases, in days. A good guess about how a soil like Mg amended with some bark & perlite (let's say 5 parts soil, 1 part perlite, and 1 part pine bark) performs might go like this: Day 1, grower waters established houseplants heavily, to beyond saturation, so water exits the drain. At that point, limitations are most severe. Day 2-5, the degree of limitation gradually decreases until day 5 when the soil is reasonably well aerated and the plant is pouring energy into replacing the fine roots killed by the soggy conditions. Day 5-6, The plant has grown at it's best these 2 days because the soil is moist and about as well aerated as it can be. Almost all the roots killed by saturation have been replaced at a considerable cost in terms of energy outlay. The plant is pretty happy, but the soil is now becoming too dry for the plant to efficiently take up water and the nutrients dissolved in water. It's on the verge of suffering drought stress. Day 7, the grower waters, cycle begins anew. That isn't an exaggeration. It describes a soil that needs weekly watering. Now, a soil in a soil that holds little perched water. The soil is based on a very high % of coarse material (pine bark, perlite, peat or a water retentive bagged soil). NOTE that the ingredients are the very same ingredients as the soil discussed immediately above. The ONLY difference is the ratio of ingredients used. Day 1, grower waters established houseplants heavily, to beyond saturation, so water exits the drain. At that point, limitations are most severe, but still minimal because the soil is designed so the ht of the perched water column and saturation is minimal. Day 2, Perched water is gone, the plant is enjoying a well-aerated soil from top to bottom. Fungus gnats on notice to find more favorable accommodations. This continues until day 4 or 5. Day 4 or 5, fungus gnats have sent out scouts. Other's making preparations to leave this God forsaken place. Plant still happy, but need to water growing imminent. Day 5, grower waters & cycle begins anew. The only price paid for the second scenario is the need to water more often. The first soil was 'amended' with pine bark and perlite, so those would have been on hand anyway. Some might say I'm not going to water 100 plants every 4th, third, every other, or even every day. That's fine, but that convenience demands a soil with enough water retention to get you through whatever interval is desired by the grower. The grower might like the respite from frequent watering, but the plant won't. Convenience very often comes at a price to the plant. That's not judgmental, it's simply how things work. The gritty mix you mentioned holds no perched water if made correctly, so plants are happy from watering time until such time they need another watering. Again, because we've moved away from a perched water table entirely, the need to water the gritty mix comes more frequently than say the 5:1:1 mix, and much more frequently than a soil like you're using. It's also sometimes a challenge to find the exact ingredients, but because the gritty mix recipe I offer as a starting point is nothing more than 1 way to embody a concept, it can be worked around fairly easily. I'll watch for a message with your address. Al...See MoreMiracle Gro 'Moisture Control' Potting Soil
Comments (37)Hi aptosca - It said - for potted plants. How are you to know that doesn't mean house plants? That was one of your questions. The terms potted plants and house plants are often used interchangeably, but there is a difference. All houseplants are potted, but not all potted plants are grown in the house; many people have potted plants outside, on patios and porches, or summering their houseplants outside, or just growing-on plants for size or whatever - many reasons. Plants grown outside in pots tend to dry out faster than plants grown indoors, and that's why some people prefer "water retentive" soils for outdoor potted plants. But one thing is true outdoors or indoors - wet soil that never dries out makes for wet roots, and wet roots make for dead plants. As you can see from reading all of this thread, there's a lot of 'different strokes for different folks.' It's one reason that you find so much conflicting information if you do much research. One thing that's absolutely true, though, is that if roots stay too wet, plants die. But... That's not always true, either, because many plants are incredibly, amazingly adaptable. Species that are known to hate "wet feet" sometimes adapt to living in a constantly wet - I mean soaking wet - pot. I know, I have one. This is another source of much conflicting information. My advice to you would be to try what seems reasonable to you, what seems to fit your own requirements best. If things don't work as well as you would like, try something else. Even if you are satisfied with results, go ahead and try something different, just as an experiment. That's one reason you never get tired of working with plants, once you get into it....See MoreUsing miracle-gro potting soil with organic seeds..still organic?
Comments (8)There are probably close to a hundred recipes on line for potting soil mixes acceptable to an organic gardener but I have had good success with my compost for many years, even though there are amny that tell me it will not work and my plants will die although they have produced a bountiful harvest growing in that medium. This link may be of some help. Here is a link that might be useful: Organic Potting soil...See MoreHow much Miracle Gro for potted figs
Comments (18)Use 3ml/liter as a starting point. In the sun and during the active growth phase I suspect they just might need a little more, even though rinsing fertilizer from a soil isn't quite as easy as rinsing soap suds from your hands. ;o) A lead in: 'How to water', is a very underrated skill when it comes to container culture. I've mentioned before that many people pay bonsai masters big bucks to be their slaves while serving an apprenticeship for a couple of years. The FIRST thing the apprentice MUST learn, is proper watering technique. It isn't unusual for an apprentice to go 6 months or more without ever significantly touching a plant - while only learning how to water to the satisfaction of the master. If I had to try to distill the best watering technique for containers, it would probably start with applying enough water to wet the soil mass, but not enough that any exits the pot. Wait about 10 minutes (while you're watering your other plants), then return and apply enough additional water that about 10-15% of the total volume of water applied exits the drain. The first watering allows any accumulating salts to go back into solution, and the second watering flushes only a part of the salts from the soil and prevents build-up. CEC (cation exchange capacity - the ability of a soil to hold nutrients) is closely related to bulk density and to surface area of the soil particulates. Because highly organic soils have low bulk density, they also have low CEC. That isn't to say that if you apply a fertilizer and water heavily 2 days later, that all the fertilizer washes out of the soil, though some does. Much of it remains attached to organic molecules so the plant can access nutrients, but it does need to be replenished more often in the highly organic low bulk density soils based on peat and/or bark. The soils like many of us use that are comprised of bark, Turface, and granite have greater bulk density and better CEC. Turface has a VERY good CEC, due in part to the fact that it is so porous - that it has 14 acres of surface area per pound of Turface. Don't ask me how they know that - it's in their statistical specs. .... that cover it? Al...See MoreRelated Professionals
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