Dr. Earth products, anyone? Also, fertilizer numbers in general...

[Alan Stallworth]

Hi y'all!

I'm just curious as to whether anybody has any experience using Dr. Earth's line of organic fertilizers. I'm using them all over the farm this year since I'm switching it over to organic. They contain mycorrhizae and have an extensive product line-up for different applications.

I'm not trying to sell the stuff, I'm just seeking any possible feedback/input and also wondering if maybe we can analyze this line-up real quick and see how it might transfer over to MJ farming.

Here they are...
(for those unfamiliar, the numbers represent N-P-K...nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium)

Bulb Food: 3-15-2
Starter: 2-4-2
Rose & Flower: 5-7-2
Rhododendron, Azalea & Camellia: 4-5-4
Tomato, Vegetable & Herb: 5-7-3
Flower Garden: 4-8-4
All Purpose: 4-4-4
Bud & Bloom: 4-10-7
Fruit Tree: 7-4-2
Palm, Tropical & Hibiscus: 6-4-6
Lawn: 9-3-5

They also make various single-ingredient products like bone meal, blood meal, sea wee concentrate, etc. But, for the time being, I'd like to follow the KISS method in this thread and just stick to the very basics of fertilizing.

Now, in my very rudimentary understanding of N-P-K, it's my understanding that the nutrients serve the following purposes (oversimplified, just roll with me...)

N: vegetative growth
P: fruit/flowers and roots
K: roots

In that case, I can see why it makes sense (I suppose) that the Starter forumulation is 2-4-2.

Beyond the seedling/start phase, I'm clear as mud as to which product might provide the best assistance to MJ. I tend to think that either the Fruit Tree (7-4-2) or the Lawn(9-3-5) formula would give good support for the vegetative phase, but I also wonder if perhaps it would be best to forget about that altogether and just go with Rose & Flower (5-7-2) or Tomato, Vegetable & Herb (5-7-3).

My logic for favoring the last two is that they surely would contain plenty of N to support vegetative growth and it's not like we're going to veg. for all that long anyways, right? I mean, it's not a lawn or a fruit tree, it's much more comparable to a rose or tomato, right?

Finally, I wonder about the merits of switching over to the Flower Garden (4-8-4) formula for a good, strong finish to the flowering phase.

All positive input greatly appreciated.

Be well and be safe!

 

[Alan Stallworth]

wonder if I shoulda put this in the outdoor forum, but there isn't an organic subforum there.

outdoors, the extended veg. time might dictate a desire to use the Fruit Tree or Lawn formulas...or maybe not...maybe still just go with the Rose & Flower or the Tomato, Vegetable & Herb.

 

[kierdog]

I'm thinking of getting their all purpose 4-4-4. The huge bags are pretty cheap and I like that it has all those different strains of mycorrhizae too. If you are growing in containers, I would transplant with with Start 2-4-2 blended in when the plants are established, veg, then transplant to a larger container with the Bud & Bloom 4-10-7 mixed in for flowering. Which products of theirs have you used?

 

[Alan Stallworth]

I've used almost all of their products on the various plants here on the farm, but it's only been within the past couple of months so I can't comment on the effectiveness.

I used the All Purpose 4-4-4 on things like Privet and Myrtle hedges; things that did not really fit into a more specific category. Also, those particular hedges are underneath oak trees and I did not want to over fertilize, as has been done here in the past with chem. fertilizers, which causes nasty water sprouts on the trees.

I'm kinda leaning toward Starter (which I've already started with), then Tomato, Vegetable & Herb (or Rose), then a strong finish with Bud & Bloom. I think that in reality one I probably couldn't go wrong either way, especially given the nutritious soil and compost being used.

Another thing I'm really curious about is the use of cover crops, like fava beans, through the Winter. They put N back into the soil and so they're used in vineyards and such. I've also been told that they send a tap root down like 6 feet or so, which the future crops' roots can then use as a little "root expressway". Dr. Earth, among other companies, also makes a mycorrhizae innoculant for the beans.

I'll probably be pulling the fava beans out of my garden tomorrow so I look forward to checking out the root system as much as I look forward to some fava bean pesto.

 

[kierdog]

yeah I like the idea of cover crops, never heard of using fava beans, sounds like a good idea though. I grow alfalfa and chop it up and brew it in compost teas. Know of any other plants that work as cover crops/fertilizer?

 

[Alan Stallworth]

Know of any other plants that work as cover crops/fertilizer?

Mustard. You see mustard all over the vineyards in the Winter, often in conjunction with fava beans.

If you're growing out in the woods, fava beans aren't really going to be invasive and spread all over the place, mustard can. Also, fava beans are yummy to eat.