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Midwest

My soil test came back. I have a high pH: 7.2. high sulpher, high Mg and low trace minerals. Calcium, phosphorus are ok. But nitrogen is low low low. The 1253 Sperry is hardly growing. My 481 Gehring at 3wks is about 3ft and my 1032 is still in the air. I've been foliar feeding almost every other day with the mix below. Am I over-doing the foliar feeding?

Foliar mix: a trace mineral product, fish, kelp, some K-sulphate, some fulvic acid and a biology product ( resembles compost tea). I wish I could lower the pH with sulpher but I already have an astronomical sulpher level.
Maybe I'm worrying too much? But I've never had a plant just not grow before. Need advise.
Thanks!

6/15/2006 1:36:01 AM

Cornwall UK.(50N 5W)300ft.

I'm concentrating a lot more on foliar feeding this year for two reasons,First is the success of the agro K programme.Second I didn't add any manure or dry ferts to the patch this year the nutrients are there but liquid feeding is giving me peace of mind in case they aren't available.Nettle brew diluted 10:1,fish,seaweed,6.2.6,2ml per litre every 36 hours.Plants are growing fine if you're overdoing it you're not alone.

6/15/2006 3:44:12 AM

Kevinstinindians@yahoo.com

Your pH isn't too high. I'd try spraying one, or two foliar products at a time, not all of them and feed everyday if you have the time. Make up a rotation of the products you have and stick with it. For a good nitrogen kick get a water soluble orchid fert high in N from Lowes, Walmart, Home Depot, wherever. Not all orchid ferts are high in N, so make sure you find one that is. Water the whole plant and a couple feet around the plant as well, with about 1 tablespoon of fert per gallon of water. You'll soon have green growing plants

6/15/2006 9:51:47 AM

Picton,ON (j.vincent@xplornet.ca)

Foliar products are great, however you do need some N through the roots. If you N is low, you likley havent added much Manure/ compost. I would suggest some granualar fertilizer. If you can get it Ammonium sulphate at a rate of 10lbs/ 1000ft2. If you can't get it use a slow release lawn product (not weed & Feed), like 21-7-7 50%SRN at a similar rate. The sulfur in the AMS or SRN will help lower the PH.

6/15/2006 1:13:31 PM

Kevinstinindians@yahoo.com

I would second think the granular or slow release ferts at this point in the season. Use water soluble so it gets to the plants as fast as possible. You also don't want that N still being released in late July and August.

6/15/2006 2:22:55 PM

Midwest

If you say the pH is ok, I believe you. This is also my first year that I am really doing a foliar feeding program. Maybe the products are not working together to benefit the plant. I can never tell. The only way I judge is by sheer growth and maybe color. I'll do what you suggested and I appreciate everyone's help! Best wishes!
Greg

6/15/2006 3:01:03 PM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

The soil ph IS FINE. I'll wager the night time lows are still too low.

I'd like to know if this lab extracted Nitrate or if they estimated the N.

6/15/2006 3:49:05 PM

Rhode Island

blood meal

6/15/2006 9:47:24 PM

Simi valley, ca

Anytime plants dont seem to move i use blood meal & they usely do very soon !! but you say there 3 weeks & 3 ft ! or vineing up ,, that dont seem to bad to me !! its usely at the 3-4 week that they seem to start moving ,, also how loose is soil (or compact) ,Untill it establishes a good root base -It wont do to much ! mine are 6 weeks now & i found roots at 13 ft away & the only reason they were not farther is because iv walked on soil there,, and theres a compact trail in patch !!!

6/16/2006 12:22:51 AM

Deer Park WA

Pharmer spews forth great words of wisdom, foilar shots of N and maybe some 16-16-16 granular scratched in around the base of the plant may be good. Fruit set will be delayed if to much nitrogen is present causing your plant to produce a huge amount of "salad" (not to mention weeds) with little or no fruit sets...

6/16/2006 1:55:41 AM

Midwest

I think you are all very helpful Thanks! Well, I doubt if my roots have gotten past the plant yet. I've been walking too much around the shelter and I beat a path where the shelther used to be. I haven't been watering there either, only under the plant and maybe 6in outside that. I suppose that would not encourage the roots to grow too much. If I read this right, the plant may just be slowly getting stronger and ramping up? So, do nothing now except maybe apply liquid N somehow.
Thanks,
Greg

6/16/2006 5:00:16 PM

Chico, Ca

wear a mask if you toss out blood meal.... I got really sick one year after applying it to my patch. I did not think about the dust.... triggered an immune response.

6/19/2006 2:52:59 AM

Midwest

Thanks Kolb: I was just thinking this morning about a mask after I applied Sevin. Two years ago my great friend and neighbor died of cancer. She used several chemicals for years and years. Her sister believes that it was the chemicals that made her sick and now she threw all of them out. My neighbors daughter now owns the house and threw out every chemical in her shed. She said there were tons. That got me thinking about wearing a mask. I'm going to not put one more drop on the patch until I get a mask. I think Steve (Tremor) warned me about that last yr. Thanks again.
Greg

6/20/2006 1:19:01 PM

Midwest

I'm waiting. Of my three plants, the leaves on the 1253 are light green. It's the slowest grower of the three. About 6ft away, the 481 Gearling/Verh is 7ft and is growing steady but not fast. Maybe they need N to kick them into gear? Well, PA Punkin Pharmer, I'm going to find a soluable orchard fert with high N. Is there any particular type of N I should look for? It's going on tomorrow. Thanks
greg

6/24/2006 11:23:51 PM

Sheridan . NY

HI --MORIN GREG--I guess i will suggest the same dumb answer foliar feed to correct the plant your haveing troble with ---saw your question and post to me the other day--about not beliveing in other than foliar--yes but no my thoughts are --super charged soil that is Bio sound and foliar feed that is exceptable to the plant in it stage of growth--- but any how ---later --craig

6/25/2006 9:05:18 AM

Midwest

What's the risk of applying N in terms of late pollinations? I've been foliar feeding almost daily (two mixes). I'm doing ca, K-sulphate, kelp, fish, fulvic, trace and biologicals... in rotation just like PA Pharmer said. My question is should I go with the high N orchard fert in-ground now? Or, foliar? I had a female at 6.5' (culled) and now another 3ft down at 10'. How much risk is there with the timing (I will wait for the main to be >12ft and secondaries to be at 6-8ft) to hit pollinations the week of July 10? Will this N applied today stop females on July 10th? Need some advise.
Thanks.

6/28/2006 2:03:44 PM

Midwest

Hey Craig! Thanks! Maybe next year my soil will be more sound but this year, you're right, any foliar will be a real boost to the plant if I guess what the plant is telling me! FEED ME!

6/28/2006 2:11:48 PM