How much fertilizer PER plant?

[MK25]

Looking for some input on how much fertilizer per plant per week I can use. I think I've been under fertilizing and believe I can add more fertilizer.

All of the sources I have found online are on a per acre basis and I would like to know how much I can use on a per plant basis without burning the plant. I'm really concerned about using too much and killing the hop plants.

Some background info:

-These are first year plants that have been on the ground for about a month, not in pots

-Soil is sandy loam with great drainage(too good sometimes)

-Climate is hot and dry(not humid)

-I have them on drip irrigation, I irrigate once a day because of the intense heat

Fertilizing is to be done by hand for now, I don't have the cash to connect a fertigation system to the drip irrigation. Because of the frequency of the irrigating, I cannot fertilize with every watering like many people suggest, I can fertilize once a week.

I will be collecting some chicken manure to add to the plants in about two weeks.

I have Miracle Grow 24-8-16. The spoon has 3 sizes: 1 tablespoon which is 15ml, 1.5 tablespoons which is 22ml and a .5 teaspoon which is 2.5 ml.

In summary, I would like to safely maximize the amount of fertilizer I am using without overdoing it and burning the plants. The amount of fertilizer currently being used might not be enough because of the daily watering that could be leeching the nutrients.

On a plant by plant basis, How many ml of 24-8-16 per plant per week can I safely do?

Input is very much appreciated.

Thanks

 

[brewcat]

In most cases daily watering isn't necessary. Give the plants a good soak and let the soil dry a bit before the next watering.

Basically fertilizing once per week is adequate. It looks like one tablespoon in one gallon of water to mix. I would start at 1/2 gallon per plant to start.

 

[The_Greenist]

I have first year hops as well and had the same questions as well.

So all purpose fertilizer works well for hops but I believe the ideal NPK ratio is around a
5-1-5 which is hard to find in an fertilizer unless you mix it yourself.

I take the commercial fertilizer guidelines per acre and divide by 990 because I believe that is the general number of plants per acre for large scale production.

Next year I plan on making my own fertilizer blending feather meal, bone meal ,blood meal and some other good stuff to make a 5-1-5 ratio.

I am thinking about breaking it down into 3 annual applications (April, May and June). April and May will be strictly N and K. June will be NPK with all its required P at once.

Anybody have any thoughts?

 

[brewcat]

I have first year hops as well and had the same questions as well.

So all purpose fertilizer works well for hops but I believe the ideal NPK ratio is around a
5-1-5 which is hard to find in an fertilizer unless you mix it yourself.

I take the commercial fertilizer guidelines per acre and divide by 990 because I believe that is the general number of plants per acre for large scale production.

Next year I plan on making my own fertilizer blending feather meal, bone meal ,blood meal and some other good stuff to make a 5-1-5 ratio.

I am thinking about breaking it down into 3 annual applications (April, May and June). April and May will be strictly N and K. June will be NPK with all its required P at once.

Anybody have any thoughts?

You might want to do more than 3 applications. Maybe apply every two or three weeks when the hops start growing rapidly. You may want some P early to help with shallow root growth.

Sometime after harvest an application of K would prepare the hops for winter.

Soil tests would help determine when and how much to apply.

 

[The_Greenist]

Is soil testing something that can be done easily without sending samples off to a lab?

Is slow release fertilizer such as feather meal applied differently compared to a faster release like blood meal?

Regular smaller fertilization sounds like a good idea, if I'm using organic fertilizer the chances of burn is lower.... right?

Should late feedings at end of harvest have more then just P in it?

Thanks for the advice

 

[brewcat]

Is soil testing something that can be done easily without sending samples off to a lab?

Is slow release fertilizer such as feather meal applied differently compared to a faster release like blood meal?

Regular smaller fertilization sounds like a good idea, if I'm using organic fertilizer the chances of burn is lower.... right?

Should late feedings at end of harvest have more then just P in it?

Thanks for the advice

You can do quick in home testing but I think you get better/more information sending samples to your local extension.

I believe feather and blood meal are both applied the same. Both are pretty fast acting so I would stick with one.

Your chances of burn are lower but they are still there. Even with organic pay attention to NPK ratios. Pay attention to bag recommendations.

Late feedings are all about restoring soil nutrients that the hop used in the previous year. So do a few smaller feedings after harvest. A soil test after harvest would help determine what was lost. I like to do more K on the last feeding to prepare for winter.

Good fertilizing is understanding your soil and plant needs. Take notes and go from there.