feeding pot plants

[buzzingtalk]

Should I be feeding my plants anything at this time of year? All of my plants are in pots, and I wonder if they get deficient in anything over winter...if so, what do you feed them? I only use compost from shops as I don't have any bins or composters. Was mainly thinking of my strawbs who have been in the same pots for a year now, and my garlic which is going a small bit yellow at the tips of the leaves...

[Potstubsdustbins]

Bought MPC will usually feed plants for about 8 weeks or so.

I have already fed my stawbs with blood fish and bone just to perk them up a bit, a sprinkle of growmore will be OK to if you have any.

Later on you will have to feed quite a lot if you want a decent crop.

Sorry don't grow garlic so can't help on that one.

Colin

[Two_Sheds]

I never feed my strawbs (maybe I should?) other than a bit of comfrey tea when I remember

It's now starting to show again, so I'll be starting off a fresh tub of it

[Potstubsdustbins]

My strawbs are containers 6" x 6" x 20" 3 plants to a trough. The 3 year old ones were planted in MPC before I got my daleks.

Last year I fed with Miracle Grow at the start on the season for green growth and changed to tomorite when the fruit set and got a very respectable crop. What I didn't do was leave a container unfed for comparison so know idea how that would work.

Trouble is when as I only have 18 plants I tend to stick with what works for me and not experiment.

Colin

[buzzingtalk]

What is growmore in chemical terms? Is it N, P K or all? I have some tomato stuff downstairs which I can switch to when the fruit sets, but also have some 'general' fertilizer for fruit and veg which might be suitable, what do you think? I only have 25 or so tom plants, I will leave a few out of the feeding as an experiment

[teakdesk]

What is growmore in chemical terms? Is it N, P K or all?

From memory it was designed during the war to be made 7:7:7.

[Potstubsdustbins]

Your memory serves you well Teakdesk, of course I can't remember that far back lol.

Just a granule gereral purpose fertilizer with equal quantities of the three main elements. Very easy to use just sprinkle on and water in.

One word of advice Buzzin if you do use growmore don't let it fall on any greenery it can burn the foliage in its raw state.

Colin

[VirginVegGrower]

What is growmore in chemical terms? Is it N, P K or all? I have some tomato stuff downstairs which I can switch to when the fruit sets, but also have some 'general' fertilizer for fruit and veg which might be suitable, what do you think? I only have 25 or so tom plants, I will leave a few out of the feeding as an experiment

I am reliably informed by my other half it is an equal balance of N P K.

[GardenJayne]

Hello buzzingtalk don't know if any one has recommended trying liquid seeweed, it'a an all rounder and I've always found it ok,and no it doesn't make you'r strawbs taste of the sea ;-). A thing I've learnt over time is that if you start to get a white deposit on the top of the pots it's too much feed, so always water thouroughly first with plain H2O and then do a top up to the top of the pot with your dilute feed and leave to soak through. Do hope this helps and good luck

[buzzingtalk]

i think sprinking it on will be too much effort, especially trying to avoid the leaves and foliage as I don't have any plants in the ground (just concrete round my way with pots!) and my strawbs are in lots of little pots, would take hours trying to sprinkle stuff on them without getting the leaves. I have some general stuff which can be diluted in water, which will be easier as i can soak the plants from below thanks for the recommendation though!

GardenJayne - yes i have heard of that, but it seems to be quite expensive and elusive too - my local garden centre does not stock any, and ive seen it another place but was very expensive, although that center is known for being overpriced. will keep an eye out