Products you use on your plants?

[Eikel]

Hey Guys,

Similar to Rev's "Cacti Compost" thread, but I just wanna know what you use.

Non-specific to any plant genus, just stuff you use in the garden

Here's a few pics of my "garden" products and what I use 'em for, as you can see I have a mix of chemical and organic products, I really prefer organics however sometimes you gotta reach for the WMD of plant-pests ;)

Anyway, my list:

Pictured

Garden Lime - raising ph for plants that don't like acidic soils, usually a handful (apx 50gm) per 30ltrs of soil is my ratio.

Gypsum - used in my composts and now for my cacti, also use it a bit when laying a mulch bed down, usually mixed with the lime.

Yates "Trace Elements" - I always mix in 1tsp per 20ltrs of soil when planting in pots, my plants never show deficiencies

Yates "Carbaryl" - WMD of mass destruction against some types of plant pests, try not to use unless infestation occurs.

Manutec "Bloom Booster" - Heh, chemical booster from umm, "Holland days" 'nuff said, works good on fruit trees and roses/ also ;)

Charlie Carp - My "Heavy" fert, used for established trees and natives, use at 1/2 strength on banksias.

DutchMaster Silica - Another Chemical product from "Holland days", good to foliar spray on plants, increases their immune system and seems to help them fight of pests.

SuperThrive - Another product for the "Holland days", works similar to seasol, but you use much less, almost 100% vitamin-b, dunno what else is in there.

Phostrogen - Bought this before I found Charlie-Carp/Maxicrop, now used pretty much exclusively for my citrus trees.

Seasol - I love it, use it on every plant in my garden at least once a season.

Maxicrop - My "light" fert, used the same as Charlie carp, but as an "appetizer" not the "main course", also can use full-strength on banksias

Pyrethrum + Garlic - A semi-organic WMD, effective to ward of minor aphid attacks, but need something stronger for major infestations.

Not Pictured

Blood & Bone - Used in composts and veggie gardens, I only use it in soil mixes for HEAVY feeders, too much burn on natives.

Dynamic Lifter Slow-Release organic pellets - Chuck a handful around the plants base and cover with straw.

Dynamic Lifter Organic Potting-Mix - Great organic mix for medium-heavy feeders, have used on banksias with only minor burning.

"Regular" potting-mix (any brand, gotta have the ISO "red ticks" for quality though) - for when I make up my own mixes and don't want any ferts in it.

Pea Straw Bales - topdressing/mulch for all my plants not in raised beds, also used in my composts.

Cow Poo - Usually buy "Natures Own" brand from bunnings, works ok, now using collected horse-poo mainly.

Horse Poo - I buy "feed/chaff" bags full of the stuff for $2.50, use aged/dried/crumbled in soil mixes as a "slow-release" fert, or just chuck heaps in my composts.

"Chipped" pine-trees (Mulch) - chuck over plants where acidic ph's is prefererred, without lime will slowly raise the ph of the underlying soil, used along with pea-straw usually.

Whew.... there we go, so what products do you guys use?!

Edited February 21, 2006 by Eikel

[wandjina]

I like miracle grow, and use it on everything....the plants seem to like it too

[Benzito]

Miracle Gro!

I hope you don't consume the plants you use it on?

I use half-strength miracle gro too, but I cease use at least 6 months before harvesting. Non-organic fertilisers are bad mmmkay....

[AndyAmine.]

I jst mentioned this in another thread but will ask here to, whats SO bad about Mirical Grow and occasional use of inorgaic additives/suppliments, its made for use on Vegies and Fruit etc.. isnt it? Particulalry for something like Cactus which isnt exactly consumed on a weekly basis.

Is it because Cactus and Succulents are slow growers and hold more if the inorganics in the flesh?

[Benzito]

Well, organic or 'inorganic' comes down to personal preference I guess.

I don't think that Miracle Gro will poison you, and kill you, from eating one tomato fertilised with it.

But, plenty of people try to eat organic and avoid man-made pesticides, fertilisers, etc.

Why not extend that to the ethno plants you consume as well?

It's just about having a healthy body, I think. For the past few thousand years, humans have eaten organic, and been quite healthy and without chromosomal damage.

But it seems there are more and more bizarre illnesses, afflictions, etc these days. Perhaps this is linked to all those artificial chemicals we have around us, or perhaps not? I think the organic vs manmade argument should be a whole new thread though?

[the Anomaly]

I think we should all strive as much as we can to use certified organic fertilisers and soil conditioners.

I only use NASAA or BFA certified products and mainly compost from the bins/piles round my yard.

Here is a list of Certified Product in Australia http://www.nasaa.com.au/product.html

The most harmful effects of chem ferts have very little to do with us eating them.

The Production of chem ferts has a huge impact on the environment

And then when you do use them they aren't having a long term benificial effect on our valueable soils and surrounding local ecosystems.

Whereas Organic ferts are produced in synergy with the environment and when used actually rebuild soil quality that has been anihilated by the generations before us.

So rather than think will i die if i eat this fertilised fruit? Ask yourself how and where was this product made.

If it is a chemical fertiliser then you must picture a huge industrial factory with people wearing white protective suits and oxygen masks and with millions of litres of toxic wastes being leached into our rivers and oceans every day.

If it is organic then you must picture famer joe piling manure and recycled organic plants in his barnyard and shovelling it into hessian sacks.

I'm not telling you anything you don't already know but more what things to think about when you do choose garden products.

I urge everyone to look at the bigger picture and feel great about your contribution back to the Earth and future generations. Not to mention how crazy your plants will go

[Rev]

seeds and cutiings

thrive

mycorrhizal fungi - mycogrow

plants

compost

osmocote

K sulphate

rock phosphate (cheaper by P content than super bTW)

Horse manure

horse manure tea

Urea

ammonium sulphate

gypsum

dolomite

fine limestone

seasol

borax

condys crystals

hydrogen peroxide

poisons

seed orchard only - rogor for scale and root mealy

pyrethrin - scale

derris dust (rotenone) and diatomaceius earth powder

glyphosate (no roundup brands)

mancozeb

Edited February 21, 2006 by Rev