Britta, I am a Newbie to AV's but here goes. I, too have the Oyama Planters, and I am using the Terracycle. It contains no Urea. It sells at Home Depot for about $3.00 for a 20 ounce bottle. I contacted the lady that sells Oyama Planters (avplanters.com?) and she said she pours it directly on the soil before she waters once a month. I've been using a dropper from infant cold medicine. It is made of Worm Poop!! Plus, it is made of recycled soda bottles. Hope this helps!! Christy

Here is a link that might be useful: Terracycle

Britta, you can get a *bucket* of Optimara Av food at www.selectivegardener.com and DynaGro at www.dynagro.com

Both are urea free, and the Optimara is specifically formulated for AVs by the people who know AVs.

Check your local nurseries for DynaGro.

Korina

I can't help you with how many drops per watering can you would need for your plants. I use only granular fertilizer.

Root rot or Crown rot may be what you are experiencing. Check the color of your roots. If they arent white, brush off some of the soil and add fresh soil.

The two fertilizers you mentioned are not very high in nitrogen which is important for leaves. I recommend either 15-36-15 or any brand with 20-20-20, which feeds the whole plant.

I advocate changing fertilizer about every two months in order to get different micronutrients which come with fertilizers. For my plants I use 20-20-20, 15-36-15, 5-52-10 (one week only near show for loads of blossoms) then back to 20-20-20.

If you are going to use only one fertilizer, any brand of 20-20-20 should be the best since all parts of the plant are fed.

I also use fish emulsion, Sturdy/Bounty, ocassionally other bloom fertilizers.
Nancy

Just found another number - 20 drops per teaspoon.
Then 28 drops per gallon will be 1.4 teaspoon- that's why what is in a bottle is recommended to be used once a month, not every watering.

Drip-drip-drip and counting

Irina

Thanks Irina, I have not see any numbers on the bottle of Terracycle. I've looked all over the site, and didn't find it there, either. I looked up the Dyna-grow, and believe it or not, I found a dealer 2 miles from my house! But, looking at the Dyna-grow website, I don't see a 20-20-20 formula. I found:

Grow 7-9-5 General Purpose Formula

Bloom 3-12-6 Blooming Formula

Foliage-Pro 9-3-6 Tropical Foliage Formula

All-Pro 7-7-7 All-Purpose Formula

Hi-N-Pro 10-5-5 High Nitrogen Formula for Vigorous Growth
Are any of these appropriate? Or, am I not looking correctly? Thanks :) Christy

Here is a link that might be useful: Dyna-grow

Maybe I can answer my own question. I didn't notice the available click that reccommended the General Purpose or the Blooming Formula. It stated you can fertilize every time you water, is there mix of 1/4 to 1/2 tsp. per gallon of water accurate, or would you further dilute? Thanks :) Christy

Stick to Dyna-grow. Dyna-bloom helps to prepare your plant to the Show to give a burst of bloom just in time. With Dyna grow they will bloom consistently instead of fireworks - then rest.

I.

Get the 7-7-7, it's balanced, and that's what you're looking for.

Good luck and have fun!

Korina

Thanks Irina, Korina. I'll try and swing by the store today, and pick up the Dyna-Grow. Appreciate the advice!! Christy

Wow, that stuff is pricey! I paid $45.00 for a gallon. Hope I didn't get ripped off! Thanks again for the advice, Christy

Christy - I just paid 9.99 for a quart of DynaGrow. Plus delivery. But I put a tablespoon per 20 gallon tank - I have a sump pump there and water the trays with a hose - so it will last for a long long time.

I think you got yourself a lifetime supply of it. :-))

Irina

Wow!!! Thanks for all the good advice. I managed to pick up some TerraCycle at the HD nearby, but am in the same boat as Christy when it comes to Dyna-Gro. The stores in this area are only selling it in gallon containers.

Irina, where did you get the quart size from? Maybe I didn't navigate their webpage right, but I only saw 1 gallon ones on there, too.

I did find "nutrition" numbers on the Terracycle, but they seem very low compared to other fertilizers. .03-.002-.02

Britta

Britta - shame on me - it was a pint - for $8.50 at wormsway.com

So we need to ask Christy where did she get a gallon...

About the Terracycle - do not discount the thing. It should be great to use it may be once a month instead of fertilizer.

You just start with the word confusion...

irina

I got mine at a place called Maryland Hydroponics. Now, I feel pretty dumb. Now that I've read and actually thought about how much to use, I think I have several lifetimes worth of this stuff!! If I hadn't have been in such a hurry....I think I'm going to try to return it. It doesn't say no returns on the receipt!!

I'm definitely sticking with the Terracycle, though. I've read comments that it works great, and I really like their concept. Christy

Christy - do not return it. It is one of the best - and
you can use it on everything including your outside plants.

And if you ever decide to grow violets on wicks and trays - I am afraid the T. thing will not work.

And as far as I understood your reeference to Oyama pots seller - she uses it once a month. What does she use on the rest of her watering? I am using 1/8 teaspoon per gallon of DynaGrow on my streptocarpus plants in Oyama pots. (I use 1/8 because we are so dry and the water evaporates faster then is used by the plants - and 1/4 of a teaspoon gets too concentrated in a hurry.)

And once a month I put just water or fish emulsion. I bet the T. fertilizer would be just great once a month.

Even if Terracycle is full of vitamins and growth stimulants - the plant still needs the macroelements - nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus. It is great to take vitamins - but we still need meat and potatoes or fish and rice.

Cheers

Irina

Thanks Irina, I called the store and they said I could return it, and exchange it for a pint instead. I'm sure I could use it on a lot of things, but that gallon is so big and bulky. Also, my outdoor gardening is done for the winter, so I would just be storing it. I loved your analogy, I'll make sure my AV's get their meat and potatoes!! :) Christy