Is 20-20-20 Fertilizer too big?
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trevorc13
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Yeah, it's actually the Schultz brand. 20-20-20 is what it's labeled as. Otherwise I also have the miracle grow, 24-8-16 NPK. Which would be better? They are granules and there is not adjustment for strength.
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http://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog/pdf/fg/fg79-e.pdf
Hear that popping sound? Those are brain cells melting down.
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trevorc13
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lemy
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I'm pretty clueless when it comes to fertilizer. the numbers are a ratio of nitrogen, pot ash, and Potassium right, or am I wrong on that?
I use 16-16-16 on my lawn and it makes my grass grow like crazy and look great. Is this fine for hops too?
I know the guys at Puterbaugh farms "hopsdirect.com" say Miracle Grow is fine to use, but was hoping someone could offer a more in-depth breakdown.
thanks
I use 16-16-16 on my lawn and it makes my grass grow like crazy and look great. Is this fine for hops too?
I know the guys at Puterbaugh farms "hopsdirect.com" say Miracle Grow is fine to use, but was hoping someone could offer a more in-depth breakdown.
thanks
DrJerryrigger
Well-Known Member
The numbers are N-P-K (Nitrogen- Phosphate- Potassium). Each number represents a percentage. So if you where to use 10-10-10 rather than 20-20-20 it would be exactly the the same if you used twice as much.
Nitrogen (the first number) is needed for leafy growth. Phosphate is needed more for flowering, and Potassium is needed all the time for root growth and some other stuff i can't remember at the moment. So during vegetative growth (before flowering starts) you want to give it lots of N and a bit of K (potassium). When it starts to flower you want to give it lots of P and still a bit of K.
Don't take this to any extreme; a vegetative plant needs P, and a flowering plant needs N. i.e. a 15-8-10 for veg, and 8-15-10 for flower would be good (i'm just pulling these numbers out of my "donkey", they are likely not available at stores)
But remember, these are just ratios. 15-8-10 is basically the same thing as 30-16-20, it's just a matter of dilution.
If you're planing on dumping a bunch of time release on them you'd want something more like the 20-20-20 to cover all growth stages.
All that said; you'd be much better off in the long run if you used organic fertz, like composted manure. Chem fertz work great for a few years, but they f$%^ up your soil after years of use.
Nitrogen (the first number) is needed for leafy growth. Phosphate is needed more for flowering, and Potassium is needed all the time for root growth and some other stuff i can't remember at the moment. So during vegetative growth (before flowering starts) you want to give it lots of N and a bit of K (potassium). When it starts to flower you want to give it lots of P and still a bit of K.
Don't take this to any extreme; a vegetative plant needs P, and a flowering plant needs N. i.e. a 15-8-10 for veg, and 8-15-10 for flower would be good (i'm just pulling these numbers out of my "donkey", they are likely not available at stores)
But remember, these are just ratios. 15-8-10 is basically the same thing as 30-16-20, it's just a matter of dilution.
If you're planing on dumping a bunch of time release on them you'd want something more like the 20-20-20 to cover all growth stages.
All that said; you'd be much better off in the long run if you used organic fertz, like composted manure. Chem fertz work great for a few years, but they f$%^ up your soil after years of use.
DrJerryrigger
Well-Known Member
Mix them as the directions say. Use it up to every other watering (counting rain). The directions likely have a "indoor plants" thing, go by that as you're using containers. I would suggest you get some 10-60-10 (mix it as directed) and mix it half and half with the mixed 20-20-20 when they start to flower.
I have had good luck with with this product
http://www.espoma.com/p_consumer/tones_plant.html
it's widely available and it's all organic.
http://www.espoma.com/p_consumer/tones_plant.html
it's widely available and it's all organic.
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trevorc13
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Seems like I'm watering it every day to keep the soil moist though. Every other day seems like a bit much I think, but I guess I really have no idea. The directions say 1tbsp per gallon of water. I was thinking of just diluting it to 1 tbsp per 2 gallons. I'll look for the indoor directions and maybe there is a different ratio there. Will the potting soil do for now until I figure out the correct amount of fertilizer to add, or should I get it fertilized as quick as possible?
DrJerryrigger
Well-Known Member
If they are under 4 feet tall, they don't really need anything. In fact it's more likely you'll do harm.
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trevorc13
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I seem to have burned one of my first year hops plants by adding Miracle Grow liquid fertilizer too early. The edges of the most of the leaves turned brown and their texture became dry and papery.
In hindsight I would have waited at least 6 weeks or until growth seemed to stall before adding fertilizer. However the plant is recovering with new growth and shoots.
In hindsight I would have waited at least 6 weeks or until growth seemed to stall before adding fertilizer. However the plant is recovering with new growth and shoots.
jfrank85
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Miracle grow has too many salts in it that tend to burn and dont really do anything for the soil. I use montys joy juice for all my plants, hydrangeas, plum trees, roses, emersed cryptocoryne plants, ect and have had great results. The best thing is that you cannot over use it. 8oz will do 96 gallons of water and you only have to feed once a week. The formula is a 8-16-8. Other than that i try to stay all natural or organic with ferts and soil additions so i can build up a good base for the roots to live in and make them more efficient in their uptake of nutrients. Espoma and Dr. Earth are both fantastic products for establishing the soil. First year should be focused more on the establishment of the roots, not the formation of hop cones anyways. IMO synthetics only address the short term growth of the plant, not the long term health of it. Now i cant say im the same way when it comes to controlling fungus or insects but thats a different subject 
Yeah I took a look at that already...seems to be for hop farming. Thanks.
And what are you trying to grow? tomatoes?
That study clearly shows that nitrogen uptake is minimal until the early June timeframe in Oregon, which would correspond to about mid-June for you.
That means any (or vast majority of) nitrogen you apply between now and then will be very helpful.... FOR WEEDS, NOT HOPS.
Unless your profile's listed location is wrong, the only thing you're going to do watering it every day in Milwaukee in mid April is you're going to cause the rhizomes to rot...
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trevorc13
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I have always heard that new rhizomes need the soil to stay moist for container hops and frequent watering is a necessity. The BYO article on container hops and Basic Brewing Radio is where I'm getting most of my info.
Without heat, sun, or a dry hot wind, those pots will retain moisture just fine until it warms up. Stick your finger in the dirt an inch or 2 down. If it's still damp, leave it. Flooding it now will just rinse all the nutrients from the soil. They're going off reserves until they kick into full blown growth phase and leaf-out.
