I use Dynamite (nutricote) on almost everything

Jumglegal, I have used dynamite and liked it but I have such a big yard, those little bottles add up.

Juneroses, i was just pricing Lesco at Home Depot. They definitely didn't have the one you mentioned. I think I have a john Deere near by. I will give them a call.

Juneroses, what is the forth number on that analysis? Do you guys routinely put down sulfur there or something? Reason I ask is, of course, most fertilizer analysies are of the three-number variety. Sulfur is said to be the forth major nutrient at times, and in some places in the country.

Thanks, +oM

The name on the bag is Lesco Palm and Tropical Ornamental Fertilizer. After the N-P-K numbers on the bag (the 8-2-12), the next ingredient listed is magnesium at 4, so logic says that's the 4 in the 8-2-12-4. This fertilizer also includes minors: sulfur, boron, copper, iron, manganese and zinc.

The speaker called it 8-2-12-4 and I see it referred to this way often; that's how I order it. However, when I looked at the bag, I see that Lesco highlights just the 8-2-12 in large bold print.

I remember the landscape speaker commenting on the importance of minors. He also emphasized that this formulation was good for all plants in the landscape, not just palms.

The John Deere store that I use is in Leesburg.

It's usually for Mg. Being that many people think that Florida is a Tropical state and naturally full of palms, they tend to plant palms that require more Mg than a lot of Florida's soil can provide, so it is suggested that general fertilizers include some Mg to keep the palms happy. I think, by observation in my area, Dates and Queens are the most susceptible to Mg deficiency, they are brilliant palms, but so very many of them are more yellow than green.

As for my favorite general fertilizer, I just look for anything that is slow release and contains Micros (and not Scotts/MG). Dynamite is good and I've heard similar recommendations for Lesco. For the most part I only give one application about this time of the year to get everything off to a running start. Sometimes I give my lime a little extra of it looks like it is starting to suffer from deficiencies. And I am currently fertilizing my Blueberries with azalea fertilizer, but after harvest I will cut back to just giving them compost. This year I am going to try slowly and 'responsibly' boosting my bananas in hopes of getting a bunch. Other than that, I leave it to nature(and compost).

In the tampa area Shell's feed has an organic fertilizer #40 for $30. I also use a timed released I get from Southern Agricultural in Palmetto. I get several bags and they will deliver or ship. It isn't cheap but cheaper than dynamite. I get the 9 month time released and they have several formulas.

Thanks for clearing that up. Yes, standard fertilizer nomenclature is always a three-numbered system, and any minors, etc. are usually listed separately. So that is a regional or FL thing. Cool.

Just so happens, where I live, our soils are underlain by dolomite, a type of limestone high in magnesium. It is other factors which make palm culture difficult, lol.

+oM

I use the 360 day Nutricote, 18-6-8 formula, which is the same thing as Dynamite, but it lasts twice as long, and I get it in a 50 pound bag for around $60. Still, pay expensive for a whole yard because of the application rate of 1-2 tablespoons per gallon size container. I use a 24-7-8 plus minors formula on landscapes that lasts 3 months. The application rate is only 1 teaspoon per gallon, and it works real fast. You can see new growth all over in about 3 weeks. However, even though I have plenty, it is a custom blend I have made for me.