Miracle Gro LIQUAFEED question

14 years ago

Hi Rose buddies,

Normally I'm an organic Dr. Earth fertilizer person. SITUATION: I'm having family company coming from out of town in 5 weeks so I thought I would put a liquid concentrate fertilizer on my roses and flowering patio pots. The Miracle Gro Liquafeed seemed like an easy idea and I don't have to make a special trip to my favorite nursery. So I see the "kit" and the refill bottles. I have a Gilmore concentrate mixer, attach the hose, select mixing rate (from 1.5 tsp to 48tsp. and and 22 settings in between from 1 oz. to 9 oz. etc.) therefore I didn't want to buy their kit when I already have a good dilution sprayer. So I think, great I'll buy their 4 back and figure out the setting when I get home. Of course, Miracle Gro on the bottle and on their website must have a proprietory mixing formula because it doesn't say it any where on the literature. I do know the bottle says 12-4-8 and the bottle is 16 oz (.0473 ml). Of course it only wants us to use their attachment feeder only.

I know it won't help my roses in time but if anyone has a suggestion of what you think the dilution rate would be, it would be helpful. I've got at least 30 potted plants in my yard that would be nice to really have looking good. I'm in So.Calif so many have bloomed already this year but I'd like to extend it or encourage them to "hurry up" and bloom again. This chemical fertilizer thing is not my norm as I'm happy with what I use but for this occasion, I thought it a good idea. Thank you for your insight! Nicole

Featured Answer

diane_nj 6b/7a

8 years ago

Feed store, where they sell horse food (which it is). You could try ordering it (I know that Beatty Fertilizer (Mills Magic Mix) sells it online, but it is expensive to buy it that way. Also, ask your pet store if they can order alfalfa pellets without salt.

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Comments (7)

michaelg
14 years ago
Since MG products with 20-30% nitrogen are mixed 1 TB/gallon, seems like the 12% could be up to 6 TSP/gallon, if you can arrange that. However, I don't think it will speed up the bloom cycle.
piper101
Original Author
14 years ago
Well, Got my email back from the Miracle Gro people. I figured they'd say this:

Thank you for your interest in Scotts and for the opportunity to help you with your lawn and garden endeavors.

Miracle-Gro LiquaFeed cannot be used in any other feeder than the Miracle-Gro LiquaFeed sprayer. It is impossible to duplicate the concentration without special equipment.

Again, the Miracle-Gro LiquaFeed plant food is not designed to be used with any other hose end or tank sprayer.

Again, thank you for your interest in Scotts. Please feel free to contact our company anytime we may be of assistance.

Sharon Newell
Consumer Service Representative

So, there you have it. I just hate having to buy their "proprietary" equipment. Thanks for the suggestion!
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mikeber
14 years ago
MG people want to sell their stuff and what can be better then a dedicated sprayer? Otherwise you can choose other products, but with a dedicated tool, you have no choice...
That said, I don't think you should bother with that product. You have 5 weeks time and a slow release fertilizer can do the job. The market is inundated with fertilizers, but I wouldn't expect miracles with any of them, including MG...
ingrid_vc so. CA zone 9
14 years ago
Alfalfa meal also does not perform miracles but I've seen roses put out new growth a week after applying it. Within five weeks they certainly had big buds if not blooms. I'm amazed that something so cheap and so simple can be so effective. However, I've seen it work over and over again, and see no reason to bother using anything else. The only tool I use is a plastic measuring cup that came with a box of detergent, and that's more for scooping than measuring.

Ingrid
PRO
Home and Garden spaces
8 years ago
The Liquafeed refill bottles can only be used with the Liquafeed
applicator. The bottles are diluted at 1.5 teaspoons per gallon of
water.
- Staff
answered 2 years, 8 months ago

ScottsCustomerCare

Marysville, OH, USA
sharon2079
8 years ago
Sorry to hijack thread, but where do you purchase Alfalfa meal. I can get alfalfa hay at pet store, but they don't have meal. They have pellets but it has salt in it. It is easy for me to pick up MG and I use it all the time, but I would try Alfalfa if I could find it not online.

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diane_nj 6b/7a

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