Usually I use osmocote or similar controlled release mixed into the potting mix and then fertilize with Miracle Grow and Neptune Harvest Liquid fish fertilizer every now and then.

The fish supplies all the minors and a little dolomitic lime or gypsum into the mix supplies additional calcium.

peters 20-20-20 all purpose fertilizer is a very high quality fertilizer @ a great price. it's available at dollar general stores everywhere an here's a few reasons i like it

it's balanced
it has micro nutrients & Trace elements
it's water soluble & easy to mix
it's a once a week product & washes out clean

When growing in containers i use Pro-Mix BX. it's a soil-less medium which basically means it peat moss. naturally peat moss is acidic but Pro-Mix adds lime already and never needs any adjusting, just use it straight from the bag. it contains no fertilizer so a source of food is a must. a 1/2 strength dose of a balanced fertilizer is great for growing everything from tomatoes to foxgloves. Liquid fertilizers are my favorite becuz they are fast acting and easy to clean from soil. Nutrient lockout is a problem with containers. during the week 2-3 waterings with pure water helps wash out the salt from the fertilizer in the soil and is ready to eat again next week same time.

Here is a link to pro-mix and to peters
http://www.premierhort.com/eProMix/Horticulture/Products/GrowingMediumTM/ProMixBX/BXMycorisePro/fBXMycorisePro.htm

Here is a link that might be useful: peters all purpose

I just add Miracle-gro monthly during the growing season. However, my soil mix is compost/manure with a lot of perlite for drainage plus I maintain about two inches of mulch in each container. Originally I used 2/3/'s compost/manure with 1/3 peat but evolved over the years to compost and perlite. The soil is 'eternal' and works for perennials and vegetables/fruits. Several containers are more than ten years old. Good luck.

Just a question. Could I skip the SRF, add the gypson, blood meal, bone meal and use ONLY THE NEPTUNE'S HARVEST Fish/seaweed liquid? Would that do it?

Thanks,

1eyedJack and the Dawg

Don't see any reason why not, Dawg. The addition of controlled release fertilizer is more or less an insurance policy of sorts.

The fish fertilizer is a complete fertilizer (tho lower than optimal in calcium) and can take care of everything on it's own. Careful with that blood meal though, it's strong stuff. You might consider adding it a little at a time while the plant is actively growing rather than all at once in the beginning.

justaguy2,
Too late now, it is in there. The blood is expensive. I had a total of 6 lbs. total and used that in my mix that has filled 18 containers. I was under the impression that it would not burn???? I used about 1/2 a 20 lbs. bag of bone meal as well. Also there is is about 22 or 23 lbs. of worm castings in the mix.
The mix is as follows
My old mix from this spring which was too heavy with peat. so no peat was added
I added
pine bark fines 8 or 9 cu ft.
perlite 4 cubic feet of course grade
some SRF 2 or 3 cups of the osmocote 3 month
worm castings about 22 or 23 lbs.
bone meal about 10 lbs.
Blood meal about 6 lbs.
some lime
some gypson

The thought was since I am going do cut and come again on everything I have planted I did not want to be digging around the plants working in extras.
I have lettuce, Swiss chard, and kale and I am still planting.

I hope I have not buggered up the mix.

1eyedJack and the Dawg

I think you are in for trouble, Jack. I stay away from bloodmeal in containers for a few reasons. It really encourages fungal growth; it can be very difficult to manage in any media that contains a high % of organic materials; it breaks down very quickly & can burn easily; it also loses much of its N through volitilization (gas), and is very high in ammonium.

High soil temperatures inhibit the conversion of ammonium to nitrate, and low temperatures exacerbate ammonium toxicity in organic soils at rates as low as 2 lbs/ cu yd. I'm unsure of how much soil you made, but you have incorporated enough blood meal for 3 cu yds of soil or 81 cu ft, which is 27 - 3 cu ft wheelbarrows full or 600 gallons.

Al

oops - should have proofread. I just noticed that I misspelled 'volatilization'.

Al

Al,
The stuff is already planted. I'm I screwed. THe CA said to add it. THe #)(*&^$#+#.
Will it work its way out over time or it a lost cause?

No way do i have that much mix.

Thanks

1eyedJack and the Dawg

Al,
I have a max of 200 gals.

Jack

I just realized this isn't your thread, and I'll have to hope Terry's ok with the hi-jacking. I would try to leach the heck out of it every time you water. There may be a saving grace though. Ammonium toxicity usually manifests itself in crops where photosynthesis slows markedly during periods of chill or cooler soil temps. Hopefully, you'll be able to leach the soil before it gets cool, and, I think you mentioned you would be growing cole crops or lettuce, both of which do well in cool temps.

Al