Raee, I haven't used the Fertilome product, but you can certainly order Foliage Pro online. I bought mine through amazon.com.

Patty S.

True, but the Fertilome is half the cost as well (currently on sale). And I like to support our local businesses so I'd like to take advantage if it will do as well. I plan to order the Osmocote Plus since it doesn't seem to be available anywhere locally.

I am also not sure how often and when to use the two products...

Have you compared the concentration levels of both products? This may not be the case, raee. Foliage Pro is EXTREMELY concentrated. The end cost may not be more expensive, but less after considering the amount you have to actually apply of Fertiliome's product compared to Foliage Pro.

Patty S.

Fertilizers minus the micronutrients = cheaper or less cost.

I wouldn't stop using the Foliage Pro if someone paid me. It has worked wonders for me.

Hello Patty! Hoping all things are well:-)

Things are well, Mike, hope you're feeling better!

Patty S.

Fertilome start-n-grow is a controlled release fertilizer, more like Osmocote than a water soluble like Foliage Pro. Very different.

If you are willing to order Osmocote Plus then why not Foliage Pro?

I use both a crf and Foliage Pro when I water.

the Fertilome is not only lacking Calcium, but also Magnesium. For my nursery and garden Meyers I use Bayer Bayfolan Forte. For my field trees I use a specially formulated 18-6-12; each mature bearing tree gets 3 lbs of that a year; it has Mg, Ca, Fe, Cu, and Zn.

If your primary fertilizer is lacking in some minerals, you can do a side dressing of mixed chelated minerals once a year.

John, do you know if Bayer produces a USA retail product equivalent to your Bayer Bayfolan Forte? I know you've referred to this several times in the past, and I'd be interested in knowing more about it.

Patty S.

Just curious.
I have been fertilizing 3-4 times yearly (march-september) with Arizona's Best granular fertilizer as a top dressing. Is there a need or concern that I should also be using Foilage Pro as a foliar spray during the growing season? Citrus are in the ground, and look good so far. Just want to make sure I am preventing furture problems, if I am not supplying enough micro nutrients. Thanks.

Patty,

I am a big fan of Bayfolan forte; and of Bayer products in general. I don't know that they produce this product in the USA; sometimes in the US it is just the cost of registrations that prevent the best products from being offered there. One of my best/worst examples... in the 80's the acarine mite was killing/debilitatiing beehives; the apiarists discovered that if you put a menthol cough drop in each hive, the mites would drop off of the bees and leave the hive... they just didn't like it. The problem was that menthol was not registered for bees!!
Unbelievable!! Most of the beekeepers just used it anyway; but Bayer is a bit more ethical than that. Lots of the best products in the world are not available in the US for that reason alone.

DocHollywood,

I'm in Tucson too and also use Arizona's Best citrus fertilizer. On occasion I have also used Southern AG citrus spray (more info here: http://www.southernag.com/docs/labels_msds/chcitr.pdf) for micronutrients, Foliage Pro, and/or Kerex chelated iron.

I haven't found that it hurts the trees to use foliage pro as well; however, I haven't noticed a difference in performance between the ones that receive both either. This wasn't a scientific study by any means but it's been my limited experience for what it's worth!

Here is a link that might be useful: Southern AG Citrus Spray

Thanks, everyone who answered. I will save the Fertilome product for other uses and order the Foliage Pro along with the Osmocote Plus.

Rae

Thanks cayden...
Always good to get the info from a fellow Tucsonian. I am going to pick up some Southern AG citrus spray to use along with the granular fertilizer. Do you use it at the same frequency as the granular? Do you use it in place of the Foliage Pro and Kerex chelated iron or in addition to them?

Doc,

No, I don't use it at the same frequency. I mix up several gallons of the spray and use it once a year in mid-february, before they start blooming. I use Arizona's Best Fertilizer on Feb 15, May 31, and Sep 1. If the tree is showing extreme iron chlorosis I will put some Kerex on as well but only when it's looking chlorotic.

I've never used Foliage Pro in conjunction with the Southern AG spray.

caid

Caid,

Where do you purchase your Southern AG Citrus Spray in the Tucson area? Is it available at most nurseries and big box stores? I picked up the Arizona's Best at Home Depot, I believe.

I think Arizona's Best is available pretty much everywhere. I'm not sure if Southern AG citrus spray is as widely available (My one bottle has lasted a while). I got mine originally from the Lowes on the North West side.