Which Fertilizer??

[nelvis70]

Hello..
I have just taken on my first allottment and this growing season will be my first time attempt at growing anything from scratch. I've read in the fruit and vegatable expert book that a couple of weeks before sowing you should apply a general fertilizer to the crop areas - can anyone recommend which is better to use BONEMEAL (a slow release) or GROWMORE (general fertilizer) for a first timer to help with better end results.

Many Thanks!

[Jaxom]

I intend to use a combination of fertilisers.
Blood Fish and bone to act as the meat and three vegetables for my crops.
Slow release capsules to act like survival rations for the crops and finally, Liquid feed which acts like a quick muscle builder for hungry crops such as tomatoes and peppers etc.
I always go to B&Q in January and buy all their sale items. Tubs of chicken manure were £1.50. Large growmore packs £1.80. The amount of various fertilisers I have is staggering. I think I went a little mad but at those prices I couldn’t leave the store with out them.
Jax

[Lesley Jay]

I always use Growmore before and after the vegetables are planted and feed them every week.

[Cab]

Growmore and blood fish and bone are both good; the former inorganic, the latter organic. Some people say that they get on better with blood fish and bone, but I don't see any difference.

Apply it according to the advice in, say, Hassayons veg book a week or two before sowing, and it'll help a little. It isn't any kind of alternative to having a good organic matter content in the soil, of course.

I don't usually use liquid fertilisers on top of that unless it looks like the crop needs it; leafy crops can benefit, and sometimes squashes and courgettes. Tomatoes in pots get liquid feed, but in the soil I'd rather rely on some well dug in muck and an early application of a fertiliser. You can, of course, make your own liquid fertilisers, it isn't desperately hard.

[Cab]

Oh, you'll presumably have an allotment office/shop where you can buy fertiliser and suchlike. It's a good idea to ask in there what locals use; I can tell you what works well in these parts, but local knowledge will be valuable too!

[nelvis70]

Many thanks to all for answering my query.

[plot 11 pam]

nelvis,
if you dont know whats been put in the ground check the ph first the consult hessyon veg book about liming manuring etc. Its a bit late to put down fresh manure now cos it will be too strong for things and burn them.
Chicken manue pellets are good, try organic ones. Feed as a wash to water in with seasol a concentrated seaweed powder from fothergills seeds people. growmore as a slow release granule as a general conditoner.
Any well rotted compost will help the soil hold moisture, dig in a couple of weeks before planting. good luck and read around the subject, bob flowerdws organic bible was my starting point and joy larkcom is great for detail.

[andrewo]

I use only blood, fish and bone, chicken manure, green manure (at tail end of the year as a crop) and the delightfully fragrant comfrey (just planted a batch of this to go mad). The only chemical I use is slug pellets but only put these in dishes now, so they don't touch the soil. I've had great successes with these combinations and swapping the beds regularly.

[Birdie Wife]

Does anyone have experience of using seaweed as a fertiliser? I heard it was supposed to be really good, but how would I use it? Dig it into the ground in autumn? Spring? Shred it? Chuck it on the compost? I think it's high in potassium, would that make a difference to when I added it?

[Lesley Jay]

If it is seaweed from the beach wash it first before using to remove excessive salt.

[andrewo]

Does anyone have experience of using seaweed as a fertiliser? I heard it was supposed to be really good, but how would I use it? Dig it into the ground in autumn? Spring? Shred it? Chuck it on the compost? I think it's high in potassium, would that make a difference to when I added it?

I use seaweed extract, and it is great stuff, never used it fresh but I believe you can add to your pile or even use as a salt lick for livestock.

[nick the grief]

If it's fresh from the sea it isn't too bad, the stuf that you collect (with permission of course) from the high water line will be salt laden from the spray & wind. This defo needs a good washing. You can use it as a mulch but you get loads of flies on it.

[Geordie]

I, living a mile from the beach, use loads of seaweed.

It gets used as a mulch straight on the beds in the autumn, where the winter rains will deal with salts etc. Outdoor toms love it as a dressing when growing, just pile it up and wash it with hosepipe before using. I make my own seaweed feed. etc etc etc

[bramble]

Hi Geordie,
Could you tell me how to make the seaweed feed please.

[Lesley Jay]

Bramble the recipe is in Vegging Out and the thread is titled Using Seaweed dated 26/1/06. Eskimo posted it.