Wasting fish emulsion?

edfhinton 3/13/2013, 8:27 pm

My onion seedlings are about 3-4 inches high now and it looked like some were starting to droop some, so I figured it is time to give them an occasional feedng. (They were started in soilless mix that I believe was was peat moss and vermiculite -- the ingredients were in spanish but I defnitely recognized vermiculite.) I used 1/2 strengh fish emulsion in the water and bottom watered them with it. My problem is that I find it takes quite a while (several minutes) to wick up towards the top unless my 2" deep starter trays are in at least an inch of water. So by the time I was done, I had used only 1/2 the water and poured out the rest, which means I wasted a proportional amount of fish emulsion.

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to bottom water/feed yet not waste nutrients? (Or am I just trying to be too stingy?)

Thanks,

-Ed

Patty from Yorktown 3/13/2013, 9:44 pm

Other than, mix less fertilizer. I can tell you not to save the left-overs under your kitchen sink, water your plants, then breath deeply. It took 2 batches of cookies and 1 loaf of bread to air out the house.

Patty from Yorktown

mollyhespra 3/14/2013, 8:43 am

Great advice, Patty.

mollyhespra 3/14/2013, 10:20 am

It just occurred to me that one way to feel like you're not wasting residual fishy fertilizer would be to "water" your compost pile with it.

edfhinton 3/14/2013, 8:26 pm

mollyhespra, that's a great idea! I will do that from now on.

Thanks,

-Ed

Sponsored content

Wasting fish emulsion?

Wasting fish emulsion?

Re: Wasting fish emulsion?

Re: Wasting fish emulsion?

Re: Wasting fish emulsion?

Re: Wasting fish emulsion?

Re: Wasting fish emulsion?


	Hello Guest! Welcome to the official Square Foot Gardening Forum. There's lots to learn here by reading as a guest. However, if you become a member (it's free, ad free and spam-free) you'll have access to our large vermiculite databases, our seed exchange spreadsheets, Mel's Mix calculator, and many more members' pictures in the Gallery. Enjoy.