When to use fertilizers

[duggie]

Hi,

I planted some japanese onions, garlic and cabbages in October/November time. I've bought some blood, fish and bone and wondered when would be best to give them a dressing?

[Snadger]

It's really up to you, but blood and fish meal are fairly medium/ slow acting nitro feeds and bonemeal is mainly Phosphate with a bit of nitro.

Brassica's in particular benefit from a high nitro boost feed in the spring but if it's too early and the plants aren't actively growing because of poor light and cold conditions, the rains wash the feed away before the plants can utilise it!

I personally would leave feeding until about mid March or even later when (hopefully) the ground will have started to warm up a bit and stuff starts growing again. The blood fish and bone will be ok for all your plants, but I would use chicken pellets or sulphate of ammonia on the brassicas to kick start them!

[duggie]

Thanks Snadger. Chicken pellets next month it is!

[rustylady]

I would use Growmore rather than blood fish and bone. It's a bit quicker acting. Blood etc I use round the fruit bushes and permanent plantings.

[Snadger]

I would use Growmore rather than blood fish and bone. It's a bit quicker acting. Blood etc I use round the fruit bushes and permanent plantings.

Growmore is a balanced inorganic fert whilst BFB is organic...........depends on your preferences I suppose!
Thats why I mentioned chicken pellets(organic) and sulphate of ammonia (inorganic) as forms of nitro!

[gardenplot]

I mixed some chicken pellets into the beds where I will be planting out my brassicas last month, will I need to add some more when planted them out in March.

[Sue]

I found some Blood, Fish and Bone which purports to be organic but I suspect the unlabelled stuff comes from factory farmed animals so not really an organic product as such?
Sue

[duggie]

I would like to be as organic as possible. Can't say that I will be completely organic as most of the seeds I've been given or bought are not. However, one of the reasons for growing my own veg is so that I know just what my food has been treated with. That said, if I hit a problem with pests etc. and can't solve it organically then I may consider using inorganic ways - depends how bad the problem is really. I know I sound a bit consused but thats because I am - I'm very new to this as you can probably tell.

[brooklynodog]

Like you, I try to be as organic as possible, but sometimes I have to revert to inorganic remedies. Last year I lost all my Brussels plants with an epidemic of cabbage white caterpillar. We were away for 10 days, and on our return all we had left was skeletons! If we had been at home we would have had to use a spray to save them I feel.

[Flummery]

You could try enviromesh over the plants. The butterflies can't get in to lay their eggs then. No need to spray.

NB - Other meshy products are available!

[smallblueplanet]

The only way I've been able to grow successful brassicas is by putting a low height netting cage over them - worked very well.

[T-lady]

So when the magazines / books say to give a dressing of Growmore what is the best organic alternative?

[Headfry]

I used enviromesh last year on my brassicas- they got dreaful, white fly/aphids ruined my crop! no butterflies was the only plus side!
what ever did I do wrong?

[Protea]

I used enviromesh last year on my brassicas- they got dreaful, white fly/aphids ruined my crop! no butterflies was the only plus side!
what ever did I do wrong?

Sone small aphids and most whitefly will still be able to get through the mesh on some types of netting (i can't remember how tight the weave is on enviromesh). Plus if there is even a tiny gap where you weight it down they will find a way in! You may still have to lift the covers and hand pick/squash/spray for some insects.

[Snadger]

So when the magazines / books say to give a dressing of Growmore what is the best organic alternative?

National Growmore (7-7-7) was a cheap form of balanced fertliliser (equall amounts of NPK) formulated for the 'Grow for Victory' campaign in WW2!

The nearest organic equivalent to Growmore is Blood, Fish and Bone meal!