Nanny, I use Osmocote for all of my desert rose. This slow release help me big time with my collection. Don't use anything that is fast release. I made a deadly mistake last year by using colorburst. Colorburst is very good fertilizer, but not for desert rose. They are very good for crown of thorns plants.
Marie

Marie

Just the regular osmocote? How about the one with calcium and magnesium? Are water soluble OK like Miracle grow All Purpose. sorry Im new to DR's dont want to burn mine up.

dont mean to hijack either.

Thanks
mike

In addition to fertilizer I use CalMag Plus and Pro-Tekt. I use some Osmocote at the beginning of the growing season but I also use water soluble fertilizer (various brands) throughout (except while dormant) and B1 and/or Superthrive when I transplant, prune and at the beginning of the growing season to help them "wake up". I treat them similar to my plumerias but I feed my plumerias more.

Hello there Peaches...

Are you absolutely sure your culture is correct? Fertilizers will not correct the limiting effects of compromised culture.

Assuming everything is adjusted for optimal growth, and you still think it's a fertilizer question, I'd go on these forums and search for a man named "tapla" and read everything that this man has posted on the fertilizers used for containerized plants,... and why plant growth can be limited by using the wrong formulas and incorrect N-P-K ratios. He backs up his opinions with good, solid science. Of course, draw your own conclusions.

I only use Dyna-Gro Foliage Pro 9-3-6, and also Dyna-Gro Pro-TeKt. The N-P-K ratios are correct, and the Pro-Tekt contains all the macros, and micros, plus silicon for stem strength, etc. Hydroponic supply stores carry these products. I use them diluted, 1/3 - 1/4 strength with every watering, except when plants go dormant. I use these products for my other caudex plants, and Adenium is no different.

Happy growing.

Frank

I agree with BronxFigs,

I use Dyna Gro Foliage Pro 9-3-6 and i aslo add Pro TeKt

Thanks for sharing all of the other informationn Frank!!!

I love this stuff!!!

THanks!!!

Laura

I have never found Dyna-Gro in my area. Could you tell me where I could order from or find ?
Thanks
Sharon

Hi Sharon,

Most Hydroponics stores carry Dyna Gro Products. If they don't carry the Foliage Pro, you can always ask them if they can order it for you. Usually they are helpful, since they have the catalog from Dyna Gro Products.

I used to order mine from Amazon as well as the ProTekt. Some even buy from Ebay. (last time i received free shipping on a gallon size of Foliage Pro)

Check around your area to see who sells Dyna Gro Products, then head to Amazon. One Gallon takes me thru the year and then some!!! I have lots of DR's and Plumeria as well as other tropicals, so you will be surprised how far this wonderful fertilizer will last for you!!

Let us know if you have any luck!!

You can find it online...

Take care,

Laura

This post was edited by loveplants2 on Sat, Jan 26, 13 at 17:25

Marie, please let me know how much and how often do you use Osmocote on your DR? MyLan

Same question as MyLan153 - I'm interested in your Osmocote use.

I've been using Superthrive on my plumerias, is it ok to give it to my adeniums? How soon should I start using it? My 3 seedlings are about 8 weeks old.

I've been using Superthrive on my plumerias, is it ok to give it to my adeniums? How soon should I start using it? My 3 seedlings are about 8 weeks old.

Hey guys. I think Marie uses a balanced osmocote. Something like around 16-16-16 maybe? I think that's the one I ended up getting for myself last fall. I'll start using it this spring. I'll be mixing it into the soil but probably won't use as much as the directions say for regular plants.

Juneyp, I've been using Superthrive on my seedlings every couple of weeks. I've read various things that it helps with root development for seedlings but who knows for sure. Also, when I'm repotting my adeniums (read it's good to do it for newly aquired via mail orders) to soak them in some Superthrive for several minutes before potting them up to help recover from shock.

Kirk

I use Dyna Gro but I have also been known to use Dynamite slow release + micros. On Adeniums I have used the red bottle, 13-13-13. A large local Adenium grower recommended this to me a few years ago when I bought my first Adenium from them.

The benefit of Osmocote or Dynamite is that they last the majority of the growing season so it is less to keep up with... the plants get the nutrients they need automatically.

However on the flip side, many will agree that using Dyna Gro every time you water or even twice a week is a better delivery system. This is why I currently use Dyna Gro along with the fast draining gritty mix.

I'm in Australia I'm growing desert Roses have been for 12 months now I would like to know what is the best fertilizer for them please

I have a similar question: at home I've got 3 different fertilizers:

4-5-6 with guano and micronutrients (for blooming plants+sensitive plants, including succulents)

19-31-17+micronutrients (Schultz'a Orchid Food)

1-3-3+micronutrients (for bonsai)

Are any of these suitable for DRs?
Thanks. Lena

Out of those three i'd use the first and the third ones for DR, though it depends on how big the adeniums are. The second one could be good for small seedlings as phosphorous helps them develop stronger roots.

To answer the original question, i use yara kristalon fertilizers exclusively. Not that they're the best necessarily but they are what is available locally, they are not expensive, they exist in a variety of sizes and a ton of formulations so i can fine tune the nutrient ballance if i want to, they're completely water soluble and they are complete with micronutrients and/or magnesium and sulphur for some. Also, yara is a very big fertilizer producer so i think they got there on at least decent quality.

Teyo, you said you can adjust your formulations - based on what do you tweak your NPK rates? And a layman quesiton here - which plants and why do you give sulphur and magnesium?

um, i tweak based on observation, and a lot of information i learned through various plant physiology and plant biochemistry classes i had in university. sorry i can't be more specific, it's just reading plant signals and adjusting the element balance accordingly. Also, to reduce costs and to feed all of the species i am growing i like to have more formulations at hand and some single elements then mix up what a certain species needs. keep in mind where i live there is very little choice of fertilizers, no hydro shops etc.
about sulphur, it's not that i use it for adeniums, but that some formulations from the manufacturer have extra sulphur added (those for acid loving plants for instance) and many have magnesium added. I give the extra sulphur to blueberries for instance, and to rhododendrons. I did notice my peppers like an occasional shot too. it is convenient to have a fertilizer with sulphur not in the form of magnesium sulphate, because excess magnesium competes with absorption of calcium, and can cause calcium deficiency in turn. but all of that is not that easy to pinpoint, each species has it's own quirks so it's mostly hit and miss. my peppers are the most sensitive to various deficiencies, probably because of the conditions i keep them in, and though they are essentially very tough plants to keep them in high performance they need some good reading of signals :D at least it's never boring :D

Thanks for explaining sulphur and magnesium in fertilizers! You mentioned once you are a biologist, so your scientific take on things is very valuable and educational.
You said also you adjust formulation based on observation - how fast, roughly, would you say you see plants respond to a particular fertilizer? Might sound like a dumb question, thing is, I have mostly grown cacti which I never fertilized and had excellent results - not sure yet how it works with adeniums...
Oh yes, maybe not really relevant for adenium, but as a general question - have anyone tried kelp as a fertilizer/micronutrient source? I bought on amazon this powdered kelp for dogs that my orchids (catts, phals, laelia) seem to love. Not sure if it would work for adeniums, though...

I purchased a fertilizer from Adenium Rose that is a 6-6-10.
I haven't used it yet but was told it was the correct ratio.
Keeping my fingers crossed.
Dottie