10-10-10 is as good as 20-20-20 - but you need to use higher dose. So - if you used 1/8 teaspoon per gallon - you eed to use 1/4, but watch for the signs of too much - usually you see broish cristalls on the center leaves of young AVs, They expell the extra salts.

I was buying Peters' African Violet Specialty in Lowes for some time - and it is 14:36:15 - or around -- and it works pretty good if you alternate it with something else - like fish emulsion,

I wouldn't trust just any fertilizer from these stores - because the majority is for outside - and has too much urea in it. Urea is not good for the AVs because the soil we use doesn't have the bacteria that converts urea into more palatable for the plants compounds. So - watch urea - and do not buy 10:10:10 with 10% of urea ,

I.

Just curious, because I live in Zone 7 as well, but did you specifically ask for water soluble house plant fertilizer, or just "fertilizer". All of the Lowe's, Home Depots, and Wal - Marts in my area carry both the outside garden and lawn fertilizers which are usually applied with a push spreader and they carry 10-10-10. However, in a different part of the store they usually also carry a big selection of water soluble house plant fertilizers. Finding a 20-20-20 or other combination water soluble house plant fertilizer should be no problem at any of these stores. Although finding a water soluble fertilizer that does not contain a high percentage of urea based nitrogen might be difficult at these places. Could it be that you were in the wrong section of the store or possibly asked a new employee that did not know the difference between the two types of fertilizer?

Curtis

I use the 10-10-10 pellets outside on my plants. Inside I use Dyna-Gro and superthrive along with african violet food and orchid bloom food.

Everything is doing great. But I looked at all the foods for indoor plants and had the gardners in that area check for 20-20-20 and none of the stores in my area sell it. I am going to check with the nursery that is close by when they open for the season.

What brand do you purchase?

Thanks
Janet

Curtis -

i was just lucky that our Lowes carries Peters African Violet Specialty. Normaly Home Depot and Lowes do not have anything useful. And the employees are not trained horticulturists to be able to advise you.

But if you have a good nursery around - they very possibly carry a lot of stuff you can use. Look in the orchid area - they do not use urea - and if the orchids in bark take 30:5;5 - because bark eats the nitrogen up - the terrestrial orchids use balanced fertilizer. I get my DynaGro bottles there. You can order DynaGro on internet and it actually caomes up cheaper even with shipping.

Optimara carries great fertilizer - but it is pricey.

Irina