Ericaceous plant food

Not a chemist, so this is just my own thoughts, but are we being ripped off by so called ericaceous soluble feed?

I'm only comparing one brand, Miracle Gro, I would expect the ericaceous version to contain more iron?

Comparing the two I find it has less iron 0.1% as opposed to the normal one of 0.19%
It has less nitrogen 16% opposed to 24%.

Less phosphorus 6% opposed to 8%

Less potassium 13.3% opposed to 16%

Only thing that is extra is Magnesium the normal one doesn't contain any.

Other trace elements are also smaller amounts.

If all we need to add is more magnesium it would be better to just buy some Epsom Salts.
But I dont think it is that easy, I think Ericaceous plant require Iron.

Any thoughts or other comparisons.

 

I use only Epsom Salts now, just got another kilo from Amazon as it is not so easy to get here in quantity. Also when I do a foot soak which works its way up the legs, I then pour that water on plants.

I also chop up banana peel and dig in. Never remember to crush egg shells. I am all for natural products ... others are Aspirin (used to be from Willow now man-made), tea leaves, coffee grounds and milk (watered down if it has gone off.

Also I only use washing up liquid in water sprayer for thrips, whitefly, etc and ants..

 

That's interesting! I 've always used that in preference to sequestrene, mainly because it's more affordable, but have to admit to not having read the spec for years!
The garden plant food I most miss is blood, fish and bone. The individual ingredients are available here in small, astonomically expensive packets, but I used to use a couple of 25kg sacks per year for greedy plants like roses and clematis. Organic, slow release...it was very useful!

 

If only, @ARMANDII! The farmers use vast quantities of Gromore equivalent but it is far from slow release and mostly sky-high nitrogen, which is all very well if all you want to grow is wheat ;-)

 

I certainly don't wish to offend anyone but. I strongly believe that at times, us gardeners, tend to go way over the top.

A leaf has just fallen from my tree...HELP!

Some of the leaves are changing colour. Is the plant going to die?

Then feeding plants, and the soil.

We all in a way tend to fall for it. Advertising. Feed your plants on this or that. This is 1% true. I recently thought I'd give a couple pf houseplants, (no such thing IMO) Both plants were at least thirty years old. I gave them a little drop of Miracle Grow. Both plants were well established. The Peace Lily collapsed like the final curtain of the dying swan. The Maranta quickly waived bye bye. Both are now in ICU in the greenhouse, having undergone atotal root wash, and fresh compost.

There are very strict rules governing fertalizers etc. The problem is so often, our amerturish diagnosis of a plant's condition, ailments etc. Then for us to attempt to treat a very small quantity of plants, we so often mis-calculate the dosage and that spells trouble. When individuals attempt to assume a lack of individual chemicals, eg; iron, calcium, boron etc. The three most important chemicals required are NPK. These can be varied in their intensities and usually will reward you. The trace elements that most gardeners get all worked up about, such as iron and calcium. The process of NPK will usually bring together these other mior elements.

Hope this helps.

 

Interesting replies, does any one normally buy Ericaceous feed?
Because I only ever buy balanced feed and high potash feed.
Occasionally apply ironchelate on ericacaous plants if the leaves start to look yellow especially between the veins.

I'm not one to panic should a leaf fall off and I only feed pot plants in summer, and I can't remember the last time I fed an established plant in the garden.

 

I bought some for an azalea I have in a pot, had it for 3 or 4 years but I've never opened it.

 

Why is that, I'm guessing you never had the need.

 

Just saw it and bought it thought it would come in useful but I just put new ericaceous compost in the pot instead.

 

I use my own Compost for seeds and plants, I notice that it's always slightly acid with a reading of about 6 on the tester, now you clever folks......I try and mix greens and browns at 50%, would it make any difference if I put more greens or browns in to the tester reading?