From my knowledge it is good to use well balanced fertilizer (N-P-K approximately the same). But if you grow plants for show then in stipulated time intervals one use high P for rich blooming. And in the meantime one can use different fertilizers to give more wide spectrum of nutrient, maybe trace elements. I use Schultz, Wolkmann, Peters and I tested FE(fish emulsion) and I only can recommended it to everybody - it is bad smelling but wonderful stuff. I used it not only for my AV but for other plants too and it is miracle. I can see BIG difference in foliage, all my plants look greener, nicer and happier. I try foliar feeding too and it is working nicely.
I have couple of plants on VF-11 to test it.And until now I am pleasantly surprised, they look very happy.
And I think the most important fertiizer is love :-))
Do you talk to your violets? lol...
Alena

The different Dyna-grow fertilizers have trace elements in them. The violet showcase has them in their catalog. I will give you the link to their web site. Once you get there you need to download their catalog. It takes a while. Make yourself a cup of coffee. The fertilizers are about halfway down the catalog.

Otherwise I have always liked peters 12-36-12 fertilizer. The combination has always worked well for me.

I hope this helps,

Larry

Here is a link that might be useful: The Violet Showcase

Each fertilizer has three prominent numbers. The first is for nitrogen which feeds the leaves. The second is for phosphorus which feeds the roots and increase bud count and the third is for Potassium which is for the general health of the violet.

Every two months I change off different fertilizers. This is to also get the different secondary nutrients. So I use:

Peters 20-20-20
Peters 15-36-12
Yard Pro 10-52-10 (used right before shows to increase flower count)

Then I return to the 20-20-20. Ocassionally I foliar feed with the fertilizer water. You can also use Bloom Boosters where the number is very high. Superthrive. Often I use Fish emulsion.

Most fertilizers are around $4.00 and it lasts a very, very long time.

Nancy

How much fish emulsion to how much water? I want to try this because I have fish emulsion around for my hibiscus and roses. My a.v.'s seem happy with with optimara and superthrive, but one can always do better.

Thanks,

Sherry

Has anyone tried to use alfalfa meal. I always have some of that around and use it in all my other plants?

Sherry,

For fish emulsion, pour or take a medicine dropper and put a few drops of FE into hot water into a sprayer. Using foliar feeding smells bad for about two hours but doesn't smell as bad as when you completely water the plants with it.

The label doesn't specify the exact measure but I've heard a drop or two FE to a gallon of water.

I use hot water because as it flys through the air it becomes cool. Starting with warm water produces a spray of cold water for the plants.

Nancy

When I use Fish fertilizer, I use 1 tbsp to the gallon of water. I only use it about 2 or 3 times a year. It will green up your violet leaves because it has mainly nitrogen in it if it is pure fish.
Ron

More questions:

I have been reading to change fertilzer brands. How often should I use the same brand? One watering? One Month? or Longer?

How do you determine how much to mix with a gallon of water? Is it always 1/4 teaspoon per gallon? or when is it more? As above Ron uses 1 tablespoon per gallon of water of fish emulsion.

I used a 1/2 teaspoon per gallon of water with a high "N number" to promote root and leaf growth, and after about a week a lot of my newly repotted baby AV' dried up and are gone. The only thing I changed.

I appreciate all your comments.

Thanks

Cork
Ohio

Doesn't the Peter's have urea? The concept behind Optimara/Selective Gardener is that they have over 50 years of experience and research behind their fertilizer. They were growing Violets when the rest of us were still in diapers. I would expect that you would pay more. The formula is the same that they use in all the greenhouses and their Research and Development in both Germany and the US/Nashville.

HI,
The old Peters formula had urea which I believe is now produced by another company, not the original. The old developer has released another formula which contains no Urea. It is sold under the name of "Peter's Specialties".
I have purchased it in Lowes. As for Dyna Gro, I used it successfully for a while until the liquid started to crystalize and then I realized it was not the same strength as the original bottle. There was no way of reconstituting it to its original strength as far as I know.
Fred in NJ

> As for Dyna Gro, I used it successfully for a while
> until the liquid started to crystalize and then I realized
> it was not the same strength as the original bottle.
> There was no way of reconstituting it to its original
> strength as far as I know.

I called Dynagro about this. If it's in fact a crystal, that's normal for a saturated solution when temperatures drop. The crystals will dissolve when diluted in water. Be sure to shake the solution before you measure it out.

But in old liquid fertilizers, if you see flakes in the solution, it could be precipitates. If that's the case, it will not dilute. They told me that Dyna Gro is made to avoid this situation, but I should generally avoid old mixes.

cheers,
shireen