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espoma?
+3
camprn
sanderson
cyclonegardener
7 posters
Page 1 of 1
espoma?
I decided to make a mix using
one part wood ash
1.5 parts blood meal
1.5 parts bone meal
1.5 "Espoma" vegetable mix
It ends up being 6-4-5, if my addition is right.
Any comments?
one part wood ash
1.5 parts blood meal
1.5 parts bone meal
1.5 "Espoma" vegetable mix
It ends up being 6-4-5, if my addition is right.
Any comments?
cyclonegardener- Posts : 104
Join date : 2011-12-07
Location : SE Iowa
Re: espoma?
Are you trying to make a custom fertilizer? Is there a reason you need it this year? Your garden is 100% SFG so I am wondering what has happened that you would need a fertilizer. Thanks
Re: espoma?
+1sanderson wrote:Are you trying to make a custom fertilizer? Is there a reason you need it this year? Your garden is 100% SFG so I am wondering what has happened that you would need a fertilizer. Thanks
43 years a gardener and going strong with SFG.
https://squarefoot.forumotion.com/t3574-the-end-of-july-7-weeks-until-frost
There are certain pursuits which, if not wholly poetic and true, do at least suggest a nobler and finer relation to nature than we know. The keeping of bees, for instance. ~ Henry David Thoreau
https://squarefoot.forumotion.com/t1306-other-gardening-books
Re: espoma?
I was going off of the Square Foot gardening book's mix for adding fertilizer after harvesting a square foot of produce. That mix called for bone meal, ashes, leaf compost and blood meal. My leaf compost isn't ready, so I thought about adding something like Espoma to my mix. I also am sprinkling it, maybe once a month, in small doses, to the existing crop as a side dressing and when I transplant. I also am trying it on my lawn occassionally, especially at the start of the growing season. Are you saying you don't need any fertilizer during the growing season as long as you have the compost?
cyclonegardener- Posts : 104
Join date : 2011-12-07
Location : SE Iowa
Re: espoma?
Which version of the Square Foot Gardening Book are you using? I am using the 2006 ALL NEW SQUARE FOOT GARDENING (there is a 2012 2nd edition) and I don't remember anything about this kind of supplement. We are adding homemade and/or a 5 types blend of purchased composts to our squares between crops and as top dressing on long lived plants. Are you using the basic 1/3 peat moss, 1/3 blended compost, 1/3 vermiculite soil-less mix that we call Mel's Mix in your beds?
Kay
Kay
A WEED IS A FLOWER GROWING IN THE WRONG PLACE
Elizabeth City, NC
Click for weather forecast
walshevak
Certified SFG Instructor- Posts : 4374
Join date : 2010-10-17
Age : 81
Location : wilmington, nc zone 8
Re: espoma?
It's an older version I picked up in a library book sale. I'm using Mel's mix, 1/3 peat moss, 1/3 vermiculite and 1/3 compost
cyclonegardener- Posts : 104
Join date : 2011-12-07
Location : SE Iowa
Re: espoma?
You obviously have the original Square Foot Gardening book. I also have that one. Until the All New Square Foot Gardening book came out, that's the book I used. Yes, it does call for mixing that type of fertilizer. The ANSFG method, using Mel's Mix does not need the fertilizer. The original method needed it because you were using your own ammended soil, and not Mel's Mix. Hope this helps clear up the confusion.
Denese- Posts : 324
Join date : 2011-05-31
Age : 69
Location : Southeast Michigan
Re: espoma?
Ah, ha! Mystery solved! Thanks, Denese.
Old method (Pre-2006) included dirt = fertilize
New method (2006 to current date) no dirt = compost
Old method (Pre-2006) included dirt = fertilize
New method (2006 to current date) no dirt = compost
Re: espoma?
Cyclone gardener, the original version of SFG is no longer promoted by Mel. If you can pick up the newer version.
The best thing to do is nourish the soil (Mel's mix) not just the plants which is accomplished by using well rounded compost instead of fertilizer.
The best thing to do is nourish the soil (Mel's mix) not just the plants which is accomplished by using well rounded compost instead of fertilizer.
43 years a gardener and going strong with SFG.
https://squarefoot.forumotion.com/t3574-the-end-of-july-7-weeks-until-frost
There are certain pursuits which, if not wholly poetic and true, do at least suggest a nobler and finer relation to nature than we know. The keeping of bees, for instance. ~ Henry David Thoreau
https://squarefoot.forumotion.com/t1306-other-gardening-books
Re: espoma?
did your fertilizer end up working? I had the best luck with the "old recipe"...
southern gardener- Posts : 1887
Join date : 2011-06-21
Age : 43
Location : california, zone 10a
espoma
Actually it worked perfect. My melons, potatoes and tomatoes really liked it.
cyclonegardener- Posts : 104
Join date : 2011-12-07
Location : SE Iowa
Re: espoma?
The old book is still great for people who for whatever reason can't follow the prescriptions in the All New SFG book -- cost being the most likely factor. Eventually it is nice to work towards more and more of one's gardening following the ANSFG method, perhaps as time and finances permit, but many of us have and will continue to have mixed gardens. Either way, everyone is welcome here and there's a lot to be learned for everyone.
Marc Iverson- Posts : 3638
Join date : 2013-07-05
Age : 62
Location : SW Oregon
espoma
actually, my problem is availability of the various manures that I can easily get to. I do get packaged composted cow manure and mushroom compost, but in large 20 pound bags. I also have used worm castings. I am making my own compost right now out of tree leaves. I put the pile in October. I also mixed some alfalfa meal and kitchen scraps through the winter. This spring I started to put in garden waste. I try not to put in too much grass clippings, as I don't mow as often as I should and alot of it goes to seed. I just started using my tree leaves compost from last fall this week. Hopefully, over time, most of my compost will come from my own pile. I calculate that by the end of this year, I can put one inch of compost of nearly all of my raised beds. That said, right now, some times, I find I have to side dress with espoma. I also use fish emulsion and this year, I am experimenting with spirulina tablets because of the trace minerals.
cyclonegardener- Posts : 104
Join date : 2011-12-07
Location : SE Iowa
Re: espoma?
For what it's worth, manure is not a required component in ANSFG, just five different types of composts.
Marc Iverson- Posts : 3638
Join date : 2013-07-05
Age : 62
Location : SW Oregon
Re: espoma?
awesome!! glad it worked for you! congratscyclonegardener wrote:Actually it worked perfect. My melons, potatoes and tomatoes really liked it.
southern gardener- Posts : 1887
Join date : 2011-06-21
Age : 43
Location : california, zone 10a
Marc
You are correct, I meant to say compost, which includes composted manures.
cyclonegardener- Posts : 104
Join date : 2011-12-07
Location : SE Iowa
Re: espoma?
Please be more specific as I do not understand this comment.Marc Iverson wrote:For what it's worth, manure is not a required component in ANSFG, just five different types of composts.
43 years a gardener and going strong with SFG.
https://squarefoot.forumotion.com/t3574-the-end-of-july-7-weeks-until-frost
There are certain pursuits which, if not wholly poetic and true, do at least suggest a nobler and finer relation to nature than we know. The keeping of bees, for instance. ~ Henry David Thoreau
https://squarefoot.forumotion.com/t1306-other-gardening-books
Re: espoma?
I broke down and bought some Espoma for Tomatoes and Espoma for Veggies as easy-to-apply top dressing/fertilizer. I haven't made any new compost this summer (so hot) and what I have in the cage has seaweed, so it is precious. I wanted to distribute the seaweed compost evenly in all my boxes and containers as I remove crops this fall.
When I opened the first bag, the smell reminded me of composting poultry mortality from when I worked as a health inspector. Stuff has got to be good if it smells so bad!! Burying mortality for decades had impacted the nitrate/nitrite content in well water (blue baby syndrome from nitrites). So trials were being conducted on composting mortality with straw in bins. The problem they encountered was fly breeding (a public nuisance). I'm out of the loop now but the smell will stay with me forever.
Off to water in the Espoma.
When I opened the first bag, the smell reminded me of composting poultry mortality from when I worked as a health inspector. Stuff has got to be good if it smells so bad!! Burying mortality for decades had impacted the nitrate/nitrite content in well water (blue baby syndrome from nitrites). So trials were being conducted on composting mortality with straw in bins. The problem they encountered was fly breeding (a public nuisance). I'm out of the loop now but the smell will stay with me forever.
Off to water in the Espoma.
Re: espoma?
camprn wrote:Please be more specific as I do not understand this comment.Marc Iverson wrote:For what it's worth, manure is not a required component in ANSFG, just five different types of composts.
There are composts, like mint compost and mushroom compost and even home-made compost, that don't or don't necessarily have to have any manure in them.
Marc Iverson- Posts : 3638
Join date : 2013-07-05
Age : 62
Location : SW Oregon
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