Fertilizing

[Bob ashley]

Mark

It's difficult to search your publications on fertilizing once the garden has sprouted. Can you point to specific publications or just comment on what you recommend. I'm in south florida. I have raised bed. What would seem pretty good garden soil. I harvest a lot of trees so the first 18 inches is very mature rotten tree trunks. The next layer is organic compost. I till in aged horse manure. Kitchen scraps get added when replanting. I raise worms so have castings. Have added worms to the beds. We raise palms. Hundreds of mature trees. Lots of bees. I research the selected crops for suitability in my location. No pesticides. Still the crops are slow to grow. Production is weak. Ie can't get a pole pea plant more the a foot long. Same for sweet peppers, Eggplant. Things like carrots broccoli radishes onion do okay. I follow the recommend crop by month plan for my location. Looking for a supplemental nutrition plan. TIA

BOB A

 

[Mandy Onderwater]

Welcome to the forum @Bob ashley

Mark has been seen using Searles Premium potting mix for top ups, and I must say I'm a fan of it as well. He makes most of his own fertiliser, though he has been seen using Blood & Bone occasionally.
What I do recommend you may do is get a soil test. Perhaps your soil's PH isn't the right level, which could cause issues.

And maybe check out this page on his website:

Commercial Fertiliser Trial - See Which One Is Best For Your Plants? - Self Sufficient Me

See this exclusive trial about which commercial fertiliser is best for your plants. Tested - Granular slow release, blood and bone, and organic pellet

selfsufficientme.com

 

[Bob ashley]

That is my next step. Tx fir the tip.

 

[Mandy Onderwater]

Anytime

 

[angelavsymons]

How often should you fertilise your garden? I’m on Gold Coast Queensland

 

[Mandy Onderwater]

@angelavsymons I only fertilise my plants about 2 times a year, generally right when the growing season begins or when it starts to flower as that's when it needs the nutrients most to grow well and produce healthy fruit.

 

[Lunai]

How often should you fertilise your garden? I’m on Gold Coast Queensland

Usually it's best to use organic fertilizer (like animal manure etc.) before you plant stuff. To get the soil nice and readybefore you put your plants in. Then you mostly don't have to fertilize again till the end of season if your beds are big enough (like marks). I've grown stuff last year succsessfully in ground without fertillizing at all. Depends on the soil you're using. Store bought potting mix is often pre fertilized so you don't have to add anything for the first cycle at all 😅 And it also depends on what plants you want to grow. Tomatoes really do like nutrient rich soil, so you might want to give those an extra feed, but onions and carrots need a lot less fertilizer and even don't like it in too rich soil.