Fertiliser - When to use and which types?

[colonel]

Hi there,

Another question, about fertiliser this time.

I just want to know what types of fertiliser people use? As well as when they use it and with which veg?

Last year was my first year of growing fruit and veg and I used liquid seaweed, blood-fish and bone and tomorite tomato feed.

This year I still have tomorite, blood fish bone and have some liquid seaweed from wilko's.

Does anyone have any advice re fertiliser, when to use and which fertiliser for which plants?
I know this is quite a general question and any advice would be very much appreciated.

I have also dried out banana skins, crushed them up and spread this around the beds and done the same with eggshells. This was a tip I picked up from an online video. Can I continue to add these to the beds throughout the growing season?

Any advice re comfrey as well? I see loads about when I'm on walks but have yet to collect any.

Sorry for the rambling post and thanks in advance for any replies.

Stay safe people.

[burnie]

Are we talking about a large area, are you able to divide the areas into sections so you can follow crop rotation?

[colonel]

yes I have several different beds - 4 smaller beds and 1 larger one which is about 15x20ft.

[colonel]

And yes I have been trying to rotate. am only in my second year of growing so I am rotating those plants that need but still want to know what fertiliser is best and for which plants. thanks

[quanglewangle]

I get mine in 25kg bags from the local farmers' coop. *Much* cheaper than "gardeners' " fertiliser and they have a wide range of NPK mixes.
We don't bother with seaweed extract - actual seaweed is free (but make sure the beach is firm before driving on it!).

[toomanytommytoes]

In beds I just use fish/blood/bone or chicken manure, which I think are fine for most crops (except no manure for carrots/parsnips). Our beds are no dig and get mulched with nutrient rich things like coffee grounds, comfrey, grass clippings, compost and leaves throughout the year, so I usually just fertilise once in spring. Heavy feeders like courgettes/squash/brassicas might get the odd bit of liquid feed if there's any left in the watering cans after feeding the greenhouse pots.

Potted plants get fish/blood/bone or chicken manure mixed in to the potting mix before planting. Heavy feeders get high potassium feed (Bumper Crop from Elixir Gardens, similar in NPK ratio to Tomorite but is a soluble powder and much cheaper) once or twice a week after flowering until the end of fruiting.

Banana skins and egg shells won't hurt but probably won't add much either. Egg shell in particular takes a long time to break down.

Comfrey is good as a mulch, or you can make your own pongy organic liquid feed...though I do seem to get better results from inorganic fertiliser in pots.

[broadway]

In beds I just use fish/blood/bone or chicken manure, which I think are fine for most crops (except no manure for carrots/parsnips). Our beds are no dig and get mulched with nutrient rich things like coffee grounds, comfrey, grass clippings, compost and leaves throughout the year, so I usually just fertilise once in spring. Heavy feeders like courgettes/squash/brassicas might get the odd bit of liquid feed if there's any left in the watering cans after feeding the greenhouse pots.

Potted plants get fish/blood/bone or chicken manure mixed in to the potting mix before planting. Heavy feeders get high potassium feed (Bumper Crop from Elixir Gardens, similar in NPK ratio to Tomorite but is a soluble powder and much cheaper) once or twice a week after flowering until the end of fruiting.

Banana skins and egg shells won't hurt but probably won't add much either. Egg shell in particular takes a long time to break down.

Comfrey is good as a mulch, or you can make your own pongy organic liquid feed...though I do seem to get better results from inorganic fertiliser in pots.

Hello TMT

Do you use coffee grinds on everything?

[burnie]

I find bulky organic materials help with soil structure, whereas fertiliser only feeds the plants and not the soil. I add manure usually in Feb/March and compost where roots are to be grown at the same time, then in April and May fertiliser prior to sowing or planting. Works for me.

[toomanytommytoes]

Hello TMT

Do you use coffee grinds on everything?

Yes, but mostly as a mulch in the autumn or thin top dressing in spring and summer. There are some studies which show digging them in to soil can negatively impact the growth of some plants. I find it better to put them under another layer of mulch like compost or grass clippings to keep them moist otherwise they can dry out, form a crust and repel water.

Coffee grounds have an NPK of 2:0.3:0.3, so mostly nitrogen, but like manure only some of that nitrogen is available in year one and the rest is released over two more years. This year I mixed some into the carrot potting mix (5%) and potato potting mix (10%) and both are growing well.

[broadway]

Yes, but mostly as a mulch in the autumn or thin top dressing in spring and summer. There are some studies which show digging them in to soil can negatively impact the growth of some plants. I find it better to put them under another layer of mulch like compost or grass clippings to keep them moist otherwise they can dry out, form a crust and repel water.

Coffee grounds have an NPK of 2:0.3:0.3, so mostly nitrogen, but like manure only some of that nitrogen is available in year one and the rest is released over two more years. This year I mixed some into the carrot potting mix (5%) and potato potting mix (10%) and both are growing well.

Thanks TMT

Will try in the carrots and potatoes

[Kirk]

This year I have decided to use pelleted chicken poo. Big 10Kg tub of the stuff.
On the vegetable raised bed I scattered some over and left. I have given it a quick dig over and scattered pellets before turning over. Thn scattered more and left.

When the veg went in the soil was turned a little then and what was at the top went under.

Had used manure previously but don't want to add to the soil content/volume now. So hoping the pellets do their job and being pellets they will not increase the volume.

Also 2 years of manure never really did much for general production of anything.

I just tend to add a couple of scoops (small ex-yogurt pot) when I do anything. Sort of little and often. See how it works. No planning just when the opportunity arises.