Using Slow Release with Liquid Fertilizer Together

[777thSunRay]

Regarding the trees I am simply trying to grow out for now, I have a question about fertilizing. If I use Osmocote slow release, at the recommended dosage, can I also apply Miracle Gro (or Miracid) at half strength, with each watering? Is this advisable, or should I maybe use a lower dose of one and/or the other?

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

That's a question that nobody can really answer for you without a lot of 'but..' or 'well, if.. then..'

So best give it a try and watch the foliage tips on older foliage (and younger too, but older tends to show signs faster). As soon as you see any signs of salt stress (browning of the tips), go back to watering without nutrients.

 

[Bnana]

That will show you whether it's harmful. But not harmful is not the same as useful. To me this sounds like overkill. Plants need a certain amount of nutrients, giving them more is just a waste.

 

[Deleted member 32750]

I wouldn’t recommend doubling up on the synthetics like that. What you could do is use the osmocote slow release and then do a weekly or bi weelky drench with liquid fish/kelp or a product that has both fish and kelp

 

[777thSunRay]

I wouldn’t recommend doubling up on the synthetics like that. What you could do is use the osmocote slow release and then do a weekly or bi weelky drench with liquid fish/kelp or a product that has both fish and kelp

Well I bought Agrothrive liquid, which I'm certain has fish mulch, and Microlife organic slow release pellets as well. At first I was amazed how the soil absorbed so much without being weighed down, when I watered with it. But then the mix eventually became like a dense, slow drying soil from these applications (I started with Miracle Gro Cactus Mix and pumice, making plans for trying different mixes) so when the mix turned this way, it seemed to me the waterings would be too infrequent for optimal growth, just my impression.

 

[SWfloirda]

Plants need sun and water. Fertilizer helps but too much can be harmful and wasteful.

 

[Deleted member 32750]

Well I bought Agrothrive liquid, which I'm certain has fish mulch, and Microlife organic slow release pellets as well. At first I was amazed how the soil absorbed so much without being weighed down, when I watered with it. But then the mix eventually became like a dense, slow drying soil from these applications (I started with Miracle Gro Cactus Mix and pumice, making plans for trying different mixes) so when the mix turned this way, it seemed to me the waterings would be too infrequent for optimal growth, just my impression.

It could be the due the soil makeup. I use fish emulsion religiously with great results in APL mix for mature trees and for trees im growing put i use perlite and peat/coco and never have issues with soil becoming dense

 

[Pelicano919]

Question: what about using miracle gro and fish emulsion/seaweed or miracid and fish/seaweed simultaneous application or should liquid fertilizer and fish emulsion/ seaweed be applied separately same or different days?

 

[Deleted member 32750]

It would most likely be overkill to do both at the same time.

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

Most plants have an optimal nutrient concentration that fuels optimal growth.
It's a heap of work to extract that from (in vitro) literature and another heap of work to put it in an excel sheet to see how much of everything you have, and to calculate how much you'd need of each.
But once that's out of the way.. You now have the perfect formula for that exact plant. Size doesn't matter because the concentrations are based on milligrams per liter of water or medium.

 

[Shibui]

Question: what about using miracle gro and fish emulsion/seaweed or miracid and fish/seaweed simultaneous application or should liquid fertilizer and fish emulsion/ seaweed be applied separately same or different days?

I can't see any problem with mixing 2 different fertilizers. After all, they are all just nutrient mixtures.
Just don't double up on concentration ie half the recommended amount of each product together in the given amount of water should come close to a recommended concentration.

Back to the original question: I use osmocote in the soil mix but also use a range of different fertilizers through the growing season with no problem but I suspect that liquid fert with each watering would be more than enough and could even cause problems.
More fert does not always = better growth.

 

[Paradox]

Regarding the trees I am simply trying to grow out for now, I have a question about fertilizing. If I use Osmocote slow release, at the recommended dosage, can I also apply Miracle Gro (or Miracid) at half strength, with each watering? Is this advisable, or should I maybe use a lower dose of one and/or the other?

First of all, it's not necessary or recommended to fertilize with every watering. It's a waste of fertilizer.

I have used slow release fertilizer on my soil and applied liquid fertilizer once a month at half strength with no issues.

 

[Deep Sea Diver]

No issue for trees in development full strength both.…. yet one must be circumspect with application. Temperature, media, age of plant and timing are key. Much more of an issue with trees in refinement.

So for trees in development… this is roughly the basic routine here for the past two years. Moderate for new or trees <3 yoa.

All the media here is Boon mix appropriate to the tree type, except azaleas and redwoods. Azaleas is either 90/10 Kanuma/pumice for 2+ yoa ….for whips plants and cuttings in their first 1-2 years 70/30 peat/perlite. Redwoods are in enriched garden soil and pumice.

Osmocote Plus is used full strength on all but the azaleas. The strength for azalea 2nd year cuttings, whips, and any younger tree is about 1/4 max. Liquid ferts are alternated every 10-14 days for all but azaleas.

One cycle fish emulsion/CalMag/Humic Acid/kelp. (The Cal/Mag may be left out as Osmocote plus has both)
Other cycle Miracid/Humic Acid/kelp.

Azaleas get Miracid/Humic Acid/kelp.

High temperatures - above 90F skip entirely

Since the Osmocote Plus lasts about two months we toss on the pellets for the first round to full strength. The second round are in fillable tea bags. These are removed for 90F and above periods of time….

Last years Heat dome it was 110F in the backyard for most of four days and 90’s for a couple more... No Osmocote then.

Hope that helps.

cheers
DSD sends