Fertilyzer/plant food choice.

9 years ago

I have just spent about an hour here researching what many AV enthusiasts are using for plant food. I was left to deduct that there is no consensus as to which one is the best.

Here's what I learned. Urea is bad, or not, depending on temperature ranges in the growing area.

The three numbers should be balanced, i.e. 10 10 10, 20 20 20, etc. Great, except that the lions share of commercially prepared AV plant food is NOT balanced. To make matters even worse, many of the growers who's opinion I respect don't use a balanced mixture either.

Miracle Gro plant food is bad. Contains some bad things for AV's. Hmmm. Quite a number of folks here and elsewhere that claim Miracle Gro is their go-to AV plant food.

I have used Espoma Organic 1-3-1 AV food ever since I started growing AV's. But, that choice was made largely because that was the only plant food at Home Depot that was made for AV's. Since it worked well for me, I never changed. Since I changed over to wick watering, the water soluble, organic aspects of the Espoma seemed to continue to work.

My plants look nice, no problems but since my last bottle of Espoma is about empty, I thought about changing it up a little.

I know, I know, if it's not broke, don't fix it. But, aren't most gardener types tinkerers of a sort? At any rate, if you have been doing this a while and like what you use, would you mind sharing that info w me?

I have had Optimara, Schultz, Miracle Gro (Espoma Organic) and several others recommended to me by employees at various nurseries.

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Jeff Zenner
Original Author

9 years ago

These are some peculiar plants! I have found that if I accidentally get 3 or 4 of the 5 or 6 things necessary to grow great AV's, I can get good AV's! I had good light, good food, good soil but the ph of my water and subsequently, my potting soil was at more than 9 on the ph scale. (My scale only goes to 9 so who knows. When I bought my "PH Down" at the nursery, the lady said, "you must be on a well, all the well water around here is like that".

Slow grow, sometimes leaves had a little yellow around the edges, crowns looked a litlle funny on a few but otherwise, everything was good. Thanks to folks here, I recognized the issue and took steps before I had the mysterious "I don't know what happened, they just all died."

A AV club would probably have somebody there who had gone through this. Wheres it at, I'm going!

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Comments (12)

aegis1000
9 years ago
I used K-Mart African Violet Fertilizer up until a year ago or so (when I ran out).

Since then, I have been using Dyna-Gro (the Grow formula) ... to pretty good effect. It should be a non-urea formulation. Available on Amazon ...

P.S. "Don't change what isn't broken" is good advice. I once tried to switch to a different AV fertilizer, ... and ended up burning the crowns out of several plants ...
terrilou
9 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Every grower has a different take on fertilizers. A number of show winners swear by a urea formula. Others won't touch it with a ten foot pole. One study concluded that some fertilizer of any type is preferable to no fertilizer.

For the past several years, I have primarily used Optimara AV 14-12-14. I sometimes alternate with Better Gro Orchid 20-14-13. Both of these are urea free. I use 1/8 tsp per gallon with every hand watering or for those on wick reservoirs. I have never had an issue with fertilizer burn and I can shamefully say that I never flush out my pots.

I would love to use fish fertilizer more often but that can't be kept in a reservoir and would probably drive the cats nuts! Some growers spray a diluted amount on leaves but I'm too lazy to do that!
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Jeff Zenner
Original Author
9 years ago
Yes, since a significant portion of the Espoma is fish product related and it's organic, there is a significant residue that does not dissolve into solution. No cats here and so far, using it for wick watering has not been problematic. Changed to wick watering several months back and if anything, my plants look better! I just know from experience that if done correctly, most plants enjoy a change up in their food every so often. I know I do!

Dyna-Gro and Optimara food keeps showing up among the most popular AV food.
Julie He
9 years ago
I use Dyna-Gro after searching this site. It works for me (at least I believe). I use 1/4 of the recommended strength. Since I converted to whick, I have not fertilized my plants yet because the miracle-gro soil has fertilizer in it. My plants all went into a shock after repotting with fertilizer burn at the center. I will probably start using it in a month.
Jeff Zenner
Original Author
9 years ago
Bummer on the burn. I have done just about everything bad you can do to an AV and with a little luck and TLC it might come back! Yeah, that's why I was looking here for somebody to hold my hand during this fertilizer discussion. I would like to change but a little worried about it. I will certainly pick out a few volunteers amongst the noids to do this but I would hate to lose them too.
aegis1000
9 years ago
It was years ago, but once you burn out a plant's crown, ... there is little you can do but start some leaves or wait for suckers to form (which can be plucked and planted) ... to start new plants.
Jeff Zenner
Original Author
9 years ago
Yeah aegis, I have thrown a few in the garbage and it always hurt. Not because I had spent a little money and a little time but because my own ignorance had caused it. I know I have some more garbage contributions in my future but thanks to you guys that have been doing this a lot longer than I have, maybe I can avoid a few!
Amy
9 years ago
I have been using Gubler Pro-blend orchid food 19-8-16, no Urea. It's left over from orchid days. For 2 years the AVs have liked it just fine.
Julie He
9 years ago
I haven't given up on them yet. Two violets I love had their crown burnt out. I am waiting for them to grow sucker at the crown. As long as they are alive, I figured soon or later it will grow out. If a sucker comes out at the crown, then I will just let it be. I did put down a couple of leaves just in case.
Rosie1949
9 years ago
Julie,,,I am with you on that thought. I have had a couple crowns die for reasons known only to them. I just let it be, put down a couple backup leaves and let it sucker! I will nurture until it is dead, dead and more dead. Then I wait until it is finally dead!!!!! Rosie
User
9 years ago
I use Optimara fertilizer and Miracle Gro All-Purpose. I've never had an issue with urea, but I also don't use a soilless mix. Tried one--they didn't like it.

I'm gonna be trading the Miracle Gro for Jack's Classic 15-30-15 this week though--I don't care for MG anymore, but the plants never complained.