Archive for the ‘fertilizer’ Category

Coffee Grounds in the Garden

Saturday, May 15th, 2010

I have heard about using coffee grounds in the garden a long time ago. I was reluctant because I thought the grounds were too acidic and did not add much nutritional value.

But I was wrong.

  • Coffee grounds have a near neutral pH once they start decomposing.
  • They contain nitrogen which is good for most plants (not legumes).
  • Worms are attracted to them (worms are great for the garden).
  • Coffee filters and teabags break down quickly which is great for composting.
  • Make coffee ground “tea.” Add two cups of used coffee grounds to a five-gallon bucket of water. Let the “tea” steep for a few hours or overnight. You can use this concoction as a liquid fertilizer for garden and container plants. It also makes a great foliar feed.

Most coffee shops will be glad to give you their used coffee grounds.

Coffee grounds is considered green part of composting (meaning they contain mostly nitrogen. Brown means it contains mostly carbon.) with about 20:1 of nitrogen to carbon.

Coffee grounds are approximately 1.5% nitrogen. They also contain magnesium, calcium, potassium, and other trace minerals.

If you do add a large quantity, you may want to dig them into the garden as there are reports that they will “go bad” and develop a fungal layer if left exposed to the air. They have a carbon-to-nitrogen ratio of 20:1, roughly the same as grass clippings.

Contrary to popular belief, coffee grounds are not acidic. After brewing, the grounds are close to pH neutral, between 6.5 and 6.8. Neutral pH is 7. The acid in the beans is mostly water-soluble, so it leaches into the coffee we drink.

Coffee grounds take a few months to break down.

Coffee grounds are easily compacted which would prevent water and air from reaching the plant, if the coffee grounds layer is too thick (over 1/2 inch).

Coffee grounds lack phosphorus (the key ingredient in flowering fertilizers) so they cannot be used as a standalone fertilizer for flowering plants. If you could buy coffee grounds in bags at garden centers the 3 numbers on the bag would be 2-0.33-1.

Conclusion

Don’t use coffee grounds as an only mulch. Sprinkle up to 1/2 inch around then cover with a few inches of coarse mulch, such as wood chips.

Use 10% to 20% volume in a compost pile.

Work coffee grounds into the soil so they do not mold. It is best to compost coffee grounds before using them.

I put some around some vegetables and roses which I’ll report on at the end of the growing season.

Update

Although empirical, I notice a lot more worms in the garden this year. Could be the coffee grounds…

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Handy Vegetable Fertilizer Chart Updated

Saturday, August 8th, 2009

The handy vegetable fertilizer chart has been updated. This is one of the most popular posts. The downloadable PDF file has also been updated.

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Downloadable Vegetable Fertilizer Chart

Sunday, May 24th, 2009

The vegetable fertilizer chart has been so popular I decided to make a PDF out of it for downloading. It is at the end of the vegetable fertilizer post.

Doug

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Very Handy Vegetable Fertilizer Chart

Sunday, August 3rd, 2008

vegetable fertilizer

I was asked the other day about fertilize schedules for vegetables. There is plenty of fertilize information but not all in one place so I decided to create a vegetable fertilizer chart. Once the vegetables are planted, it is weed and feed (hopefully not feed the weeds) time until harvest.

Definitions

Side-dress – apply fertilizer 6 inches or so from center of plant. If one plant is involved, apply around entire plant. If a row of plants are involved, apply in a straight line on both sides of the row.

Vegetable Fertilizer Table

Vegetable Dosage Amt per plant Notes
New
Asparagus		 10-10-10 4 cups per 100 sq ft Early Spring
Established
Asparagus		 10-10-10 4 cups per 100 sq ft After harvest (June or July)
Carrots 10-10-10 2 TBL per 10 feet Side-dress when 3 inches tall
Cucumbers 10-10-10 1 TBL Side-dress when plants vines are 10 inches long and after flowers begin to bloom. Do not dig down with a hoe more than 1 inch because this will damage the shallow feeder roots. The main roots go down 5 feet.
Green Beans 0-10-10 Side-dress. Generally do not need fertilizer in decent soil. Do not give fertilizer that contains nitrogen.
Lettuce 10-0-0 or 10-10-10 1 cup per 10 feet Side-dress when 2 to 3 inches high.
Peppers 5-10-10 1 tsp When blossoms show
Potatoes 10-10-10 2 LB per 100 sq ft Side-dress when flowers appear
Pumpkins 10-20-10
10-10-10		 2 TBL While vine is growing.
Once fruit is set.
Radishes 10-10-10 1 cup per 10 ft Work fertilizer in soil just before planting.
Spinach 10-10-10 1 cup per 100 sq. feet Side-dress when 2 to 3 inches tall.
Sweet Corn 10-10-10 9 LB per 1000 sq ft Side-dress when plant is 1 foot tall and when tassels appear.
Tomatoes 10-10-10 1 TBL Side-dress 8 inches from plant in a circle every 3 weeks
Zucchini 10-20-10 or 10-20-20 1 TBL They need higher phosphorus than nitrogen. Side-dress fertilize when fruits form.

2 cups = 1 pound fertilizer, TBL = tablespoon, LB = pound

garden.dougthecook.com

Click to download the chart in PDF format.

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Time Release Fertilizer

Thursday, October 25th, 2007

What are the benefits of time-release fertilizer?

Time-release, or controlled-release, fertilizer gradually delivers the major nutrients plants need – nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium – over a fixed period. This can range from a few months to a year, depending on the product you choose.

The nutrients are encapsulated in small spheres, called “prills”, made of a resin that dissolves slowly in soil. While conventional fertilizers must be applied regularly throughout the season, time-release varieties need to be used only at planting time. In most cases, additional fertilizers are not necessary.

With time-release formulas, you don’t have to worry about clumping, which can be a problem when granular fertilizers are exposed to humidity. And unlike powder or liquid kinds, which must be diluted in water, time-release fertilizer is ready to use – just distribute the prills within the top 3 inches of soil.

You may apply a time-release fertilizer in almost any garden situation, but it is especially well suited for use with annuals (the life spans of both the product and the plants coincide nicely). Heavy feeders, such as petunias, tuberous begonias and angel trumpets, are the best candidates for this formula. The high cost of time-release fertilizer, however, usually prohibits its use in large-scale applications, such as in vegetable beds.

Read the package carefully to be sure the time-release formula you choose is appropriate for your growing season, and avoid applying it too early. The prills are engineered to dissolve in warm temperatures (generally 70 degrees F and higher). Freezing temperatures can damage the coatings, causing all nutrients to be released on the first warm day.

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Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potash

Saturday, June 2nd, 2007

I had the good luck of talking with a knowledgeable feed store employee. The subject was the big 3: nitrogen, phosphorus, and potash. My concern was the green beans would not get enough phosphorus and potash. They do not need nitrogen since they are a legume and produce their own. His response was: do not worry about it.
Phosphorus and potash are very insoluble and move very little in soil. They are not affected by weather conditions. Nitrogen is leached out of the soil by rainwater and usage by roots so it must be replenished periodically.

Nitrogen

Nitrogen gives plants their dark green color and increases leaf and stem growth. The crispness and quality of leafy vegetables such as lettuce and spinach is influenced by nitrogen levels. Plants deficient in nitrogen have light green to yellow leaves and appear stunted.

Phosphorus

Phosphorus encourages root growth and establishment. Phosphorus is also crucial for plant flowering and fruiting, especially seed production. Most of the internal plant chemical reactions are dependent on phosphorus. Poor flowering and fruiting may be signs of the lack of phosphorus. Some plants, including corn and tomatoes, may exhibit red or purple leaves. Cold soils can prevent phosphorus uptake, even though the element is present.

Potash

Potassium or potash increases the plant’s vigor, winter hardiness and resistance to diseases. Stems and stalks are stiffer. Plant seed or fruit yield is improved. Reduced vigor, susceptibility to diseases and thin skinned or small fruit may be signs of potassium deficiency.

Fertilizer Contents

A complete fertilizer contains all three nutrients: nitrogen, phosphorus, and potash (potassium). The fertilizer bag has three numbers on it: like 12-10-8. The first number is nitrogen, second is phosphorus, and the third is potash. Each number is the percent weight of the element. For example a 50 pound bag of 12-10-8 has 6 pounds of nitrogen, 5 pounds phosphorus and 4 pounds of potash. In our example there is 15 pounds of nutrients and 35 pounds of filler: ground corn cobs, sawdust, vermiculite, and other which makes it easier to apply the fertilizer.

Application

I use a balanced fertilizer, like 12-12-12 or 10-10-10, on other vegetables like corn and potatoes. I admit I do not have the soil tested but I do rotate crops to mitigate the spread of disease. Application is easy: run a line of fertilizer on each side of the row of plants about 6 inches from the stem. Work the fertilizer in the soil with a hoe. Water immediately to start the fertilizer process or wait for rain. Do not let the fertilizer touch the plant or else it will burn it.

Using time-release fertilizer is not a good idea since it releases nutrients based on environmental conditions rather than plant needs.

Soil Testing

If you cannot measure it you cannot control it. A soil testing kit is inexpensive and worthwhile.
Test the first 6 inches of soil for phosphorus and potassium. Nitrogen is tested in the first 24 inches of soil.

Doug

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