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chc/peat moss fertilizing

18 years ago

Hey guys... I have a question for you chc folks.

I have a meyer lemon tree that I'm planning on repotting w/ CHC/PEAT Moss. What do you guys do about nutritional value? I don't want to use manure becuase the tree is in the sun room. Would it be safe use something like STEM and a slow releasing tablet type fertilizer like lutz? Will I be over fertilizing?

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Comments (4)

Millet
18 years ago
I have over twenty citrus trees in CHC. My mixture is 4 parts CHC, 1-1/2 parts peat moss. To this mix I add STEM, Osmacoate slow realease fertilizer and dolomite. I also feed using the constant fertilize program at the rate of 200-ppm nitrate. - Millet
hchan1
Original Author
18 years ago
Thank-you for your reply Millet! What's dolomite and where can I get it?

I'm thinking about purchasing this type of STEM: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7701208981&category=20540&ssPageName=WDVW&rd=1

What do you think? Can I use a bonsai type STEM for my meyer lemon? The place selling it is pretty close to where I live.
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Sharon, Peat moss is sold in full and half bales sizes and is cheaper than one with fertilizer added. Depending on what you're making, clumps can be a design element. Where are you reading that information about adding or not adding fertilizer? I can see no reason to add fertilizer but why not contact the people that wrote those articles. To me it's the same as adding fibers or arcylic fortifier to troughs, planters, lanterns, etc. You're making your project more expensive.
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Stross - you probably can use it - just do not fertilize your plants for a couple of months to use up the fertilizer. Don't they carry these big bales of Canadian peat moss - 3 cubic feet - for $11? You just need to sieve it to remove the sticks. If you do not have place to store it - your friends with the gardens would love to use it up. I.
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Bryan, there are many ways to grow containerized citrus trees. Currently I am growing 48 different varieties of citrus, all in containers in a Colorado greenhouse. Here is what I do.... I make my own potting mix using 4 parts CHC and 1-1/2 parts peat moss. To every five gallons of this mixture I add one cup dolomite, one cup Osmocote and a small hand full of STEM. I ALSO fertilize the trees using a constant feeding program. A constant feeding program is one where you fertilize with every watering at a reduced rate. I fertilize at a rate of 200 PPM nitrogen (using a fertilizer containg trace minerals) with each watering. I also flush all containers once every three months. On very new trees you might start out fertilizing at 150 PPM nitrogen. If you need to find STEM in smaller amounts send me an e-mail. Take care. - Millet
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Garnetmoth, I think that's the best one. I have been using the web and phone to hunt down US suppliers and they're the best I found too. They are really good on ALL of the media they sell, I think and they offer a really wide variety. (Also, growstuff told me their bale is 18-20 lbs.) I just ordered a new small bale for my incoming oroblanco and variegated satumas and to repot a couple of var. pink lemons that aren't really thriving. Thank God the weather is warming back up for a while. I think your idea of using coco-peat with the CHCs is a good one. I might have done that myself, except I already had a huge brick of regular peat when I did my last pottings. What else do you put in your mix? I have been using dehydrated steer manure and it seems to be working. I am looking at their tree fern slabs (coir) for starting some citrus seeds. It looks like you could get a 12X12 piece and start a few seeds in it. Then when they start germinating, cut a small piece from larger piece with the seedling in it and pot up! I am not pleased with germination results in regular compressed peat pellets so far. Congrats on the new job!
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Millet
18 years ago
I never purchase anything off of e-bay. I really do not know if the bonsi trace minerial mix is good or not for sure. I suspect that it possibly would be OK. I would not use a slow release trace element mix. You can find the actual professional STEM at any place that sells Peters brand fertilizrs. Peters brand is a product of the Scotts company. I purchase STEM in 25-lb. bags. Millet
hchan1
Original Author
18 years ago
Thanks for the awesome info... I'll look around this weekend for the Peters brand stem. One my question... I really want to avoid over fertilizing. If I use STEM, slow releasing Osmacoate (which one do you use), and my usual lutz slow release 8-4-8 tablets do you think I'll be over-fertilizing?

Thanks for being helpful!!

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