sulfate of ammonia - worth having?

[Snadger]

The Perils of Sulfate of Ammonia
It does more harm than good
On the surface, sulfate of ammonia (21-0-0) looks like a great product. It can make grass turn green in a matter of days. It can stimulate growth on poor performing plants, and it makes gardeners look good when their clients complain about a poor landscape and the yard looks wonderful a week later. Best of all, the product is dirt cheap to use for both gardener and homeowner.
But a month later, the grass or plant starts to yellow again, looking for its sulfate of ammonia "fix" which it needs to support its new dependency. And because the roots were not fed along with the foliage, they cannot support the rampant top growth above them, and slowly the plant or lawn weakens and declines. Over time, a build up of salts which are a chemical by-product of ammonium sulfate start to turn the pH of the soil alkaline, further adding to the stress the lawn or plant is experiencing. Adding to one's woes is the fact that insects and disease just love that tender foliage created by this unbalanced product when it softens the cell structure of the plant.

Unfortunately, a garden columnist form our local paper (who should know better) has become infatuated with sulfate of ammonia, claiming it will cure almost any ailment a plant or lawn might have; and that it is the only food a garden needs. In the process he is misleading frustrated consumers who mistakenly take his extremely poor advice.

Worse yet, many homeowners have burned or killed their plants or lawns by accidentally over-applying this product. Because it is unbalanced and temperature sensitive, it has no buffer for the plants, leaving no room for error when applying. The warmer the outdoor temperature gets, the faster it releases, the higher chance of burn or death.

Contrary to that columnist's personal opinion, our local soil is not the best around. Plants need balanced feedings of nutrients along with minerals and trace elements at regular intervals, preferably in an organic slow-release form. This they can only receive from a balanced fertilizer such as Dr. Earth ( a plug for a great product) which also contains beneficial microbes. In this way you not only feed the plants but also the soil. My staff and I are so concerned with the poor advice by this columnist and what we believe to be an inferior garden product that we felt compelled to speak out.

At Almaden Valley Nursery we have been providing homeowners with plant advice for more than 33 years. We are staffed with certified garden experts that stay up-to-date and are aware of the latest plant and product improvements in the nursery industry. We care about your garden needs and hate to see you misled.


Written by:
Matt Lepow, Owner, CCNPro, B.S. Ornamental Horticulture

Don't really want to start trading URL's but I have to disagree with the statement (hi lghted in blue above)that Sulphate of Ammonia actually increases alkalinity. In my experience it always decreases alkilinity and lowers the Ph.
Years ago it was the only fertiliser used on the cricket squares with excellent results. I was at an STRI (Sports Turf Research Institute) seminar where different fertilizers among other things are trialed. The area of grass fertilized with Sulphate of Ammonia only, had no weeds (because of acidification), and had a lovely deep green colour.Granted, you need to feed regularly to achieve this, but those Cricket Groundsmen of old used to take pride in there wicket and devote lots of time to it.
Here's a list of acidifying agents I've just plucked from the net, which includes Sulphate of Ammonia.

http://www.aces.edu/timelyinfo/Ag%20...il/S-04-08.pdf

I don't particularly like the stuff for veggie growing as I try to be organic whenever I can,but I suspect that only dry blood in the organic sphere would give the quick acting nitro boost required by brassicas in spring!

[Penellype]

Adding anything except compost made from dead plant materials (which would naturally be added if the plants were left to decompose in situ) always needs to be a considered decision. It is very easy to unbalance the chemicals in the soil by adding too much of x in relation to y, so you then have to add y to make up the deficit, but in doing so you unbalance the proportion of z... because what most people don't realize is that mineral elements work together and often their function is dependent on something else. This is a bit like the way populations of animals, insects, microbes etc work too.

I agree it is very hard to avoid additives and chemicals - I've just got a wormery because I have huge quantities of shredded paper to dispose of and even though its shredded I'm concerned that confidential information might be legible because there is so much of it. Wormeries use large amounts of shredded paper so it seems ideal. But I have no idea what chemicals were used to make the ink (from 10 years + ago) etc etc.

What I would suggest is that if you feel you need to add something, make sure that you are doing it because there is a deficiency of that something in your soil (perhaps have it tested), rather than because some packet, or journalist, or neighbour says it is a "good thing to do".

[Two_Sheds]

for brasicas and greens. ... a worthwhile purchase, or a waste of money?

Waste of money.
I find brassicas grow just fine without lots of potions and powders. Mine get a slosh of comfrey tea occasionally perhaps, and a sprinkle of BFB if I remember, in spring

[Kristen]

Waste of money.
I find brassicas grow just fine without lots of potions and powders. Mine get a slosh of comfrey tea occasionally perhaps, and a sprinkle of BFB if I remember, in spring

You've got great soil though ... lovingly attended to over the years, manure and compost added, and regular green manures. For a less well looked after soil, or a new plot, I think the additives would make a difference.