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Ponds & Aquatic Plants

What fertilizer do you use for your container pond plants?

5 years ago

I have several of my lotus and water lilies in 7 gallon containers. I usually put 4 tablets of Aquatic Tabs by AgSafe in every 3 weeks. That seemed to be enough, for most of them. But, I just read the label on the stuff I've been using and it says 2 tablets for every gallon. ??? That would be 14 tabs in each container. Maybe I've switched brands over the years and didn't read the most recent jar of tablets. Now I'm thinking a different ferilizer would be better that had more stuff in it and I wouldn't have to add so many. I do use fruit tree spikes, about 4-5 at a time every few weeks in my 300 gallon lotus bog.

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catherinet
Original Author

5 years ago

But it's the phosphorus that helps with the blooms, right?

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Comments (6)

PKponder TX Z7B
5 years ago
I can't afford those so I use fruit tree spikes and break them into chunks small enough to stick down in the gravel. I only fertilize twice a season. Maybe I am under fertilizing?
catherinet
Original Author
5 years ago
I use whole fruit spikes (4-5) every few weeks in my lotus bog, but I'm not sure that's even enough. I used to use very small tomato spikes in my 7 gallon water lily containers But I do think I'm under fertilizing the water lilies for a couple years. It's hard to know how much you're giving in those chunks of fruit tree spikes. I would just go by their response. if they seem happy and are making blossoms, I think you're using enough. I had problems last year with my water lilies, and maybe it was because I wasn't fertilizing enough. But like I said.....if yours seem happy and productive, I wouldn't change anything. But...........only twice a season seems sort of low. Would you say your lilies are doing well?
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buyorsell888
5 years ago
Jobe's tomato "spikes" they are really little tablets. Nitrogen is nitrogen. I don't pay extra for "pond" fertilizer.
Nil13 usda:10a sunset:21 LA,CA (Mount Wash.)
5 years ago
While plants need phosphorus, they don't need much. The whole, plants need phosphorus for blooms, is marketing hype.
buyorsell888
5 years ago
Phosphorus is phosphorus too. You don't need a fertilizer labeled "for ponds" to be useful in a pond is what I meant. I go by the ingredients and ratios rather than what species it is labeled for. I do use a lower Nitrogen fertilizer on plants I want to bloom or fruit more. Which is what I was taught in horticulture class many years ago...

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