I think I have killed my Garden.

danielsumner · #1 05/26/12, 09:22 PM

This is the first time I've planted any Vegies to speak of. I'm retired now so have lots of time. I baby it and work in it weeding every day. I've been using Scotts extended release fertilizer on all my plants and flowers for years with no problem. Well I was in Freds (dollar type store) and seen tomato and vegie fertilizer, it was real cheap (I know go ahead and beat me). So I thought it would work and make things grow better. (it said so on the package). Well I screwed up big time. Some of my peppers are dying, dropping their leaves. One tomato plant's leaves are curling. Anyway to save the rest, I've scraped the fertilizer off the best I could. Someone please beat me good, it might take my mind off it.

Daniel

uncle Will in In. · #2 05/27/12, 04:47 AM

Was this granular fertilizer or was it liquid??
Spraying some plants with a diluted liquid fertilize every two or three weeks can give most a boost. You can use Kelp, Fish oil, or even Skimmed milk watered down. To much dry fertilizer can burn plants especialy if it is real close to the plants roots or foliage.

rockhound · #3 05/27/12, 05:23 AM

Water the garden real good to wash some of it away. In the future read and follow the directions more closely. (This is where you get the beating you asked for) Now go out and cut me a switch, a STURDY one! And don't be too slow about it...LOL

Calhoon · #4 05/27/12, 06:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by danielsumner

This is the first time I've planted any Vegies to speak of. I'm retired now so have lots of time. I baby it and work in it weeding every day. I've been using Scotts extended release fertilizer on all my plants and flowers for years with no problem. Well I was in Freds (dollar type store) and seen tomato and vegie fertilizer, it was real cheap (I know go ahead and beat me). So I thought it would work and make things grow better. (it said so on the package). Well I screwed up big time. Some of my peppers are dying, dropping their leaves. One tomato plant's leaves are curling. Anyway to save the rest, I've scraped the fertilizer off the best I could. Someone please beat me good, it might take my mind off it.

Daniel

well , don't beat yourself up over it , it happens to us all..

It's still early in the growing season , even if you have to re-plant , you'll be ok , I hope ...

It's hard to beat 8-8-8 , it's what I use ... :-)

Callieslamb · #5 05/27/12, 07:24 AM

I killed all my tomato seedlings last year the same way. water, water, water and see if that helps. If not - there's still time to buy more plants!

danielsumner · #6 05/27/12, 08:21 AM

I scraped off as much as I could (hands and knees, now I'm sore this morning). Put some more soil around and watered, watered and watered some more. It was granular. I'm going to stick with the coated extended release stuff from now on. The tomatoes have perked up this morning, think they will be fine. Looks like I might just lose some of the pepper plants. The worst affected were the ones that got the biggest dose. We have a tropical storm Beryl coming through here tonight and tomorrow. Lots of rain, that will help more. I'll rethink putting salt on my wounds.

Daniel

RonM · #7 05/27/12, 09:06 AM

It's called the learning curve...

braggscowboy · #8 05/27/12, 09:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by danielsumner

I scraped off as much as I could (hands and knees, now I'm sore this morning). Put some more soil around and watered, watered and watered some more. It was granular. I'm going to stick with the coated extended release stuff from now on. The tomatoes have perked up this morning, think they will be fine. Looks like I might just lose some of the pepper plants. The worst affected were the ones that got the biggest dose. We have a tropical storm Beryl coming through here tonight and tomorrow. Lots of rain, that will help more. I'll rethink putting salt on my wounds.

Daniel

Have had the same problem, not sure what the problem is, I could have used too much fertilize, or residual effect of some weed spray. Net everything is hurting, tomatoes, peppers, of which tomatoes and some peppers have died. Some curl on the okra and not growing well. Some plants are huge and not making heads, squash 30" tall an producing. Curl on potatoes and making potatoes. I sent a sample to have test at Okla. State University last week, if I can find your post, when I get the results back I will let you know. I used 10 10 10, but have lots before.

ronbre · #9 05/27/12, 10:41 AM

maybe try going organic or even go as far as trying permaculture, you would likely have some better success

mary,tx · #10 05/27/12, 07:09 PM

I've been gardening, seems like all my life, and I did this to my tomatoes a year or two ago. I sure was unhappy with myself about it.

The only secret, I say, to being a good gardener, is just to keep trying.

7thswan · #11 05/27/12, 07:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ronbre

maybe try going organic or even go as far as trying permaculture, you would likely have some better success

I agree, chemicals take another whole section of my brain that I'd rather use for something else.

Paquebot · #12 05/27/12, 09:03 PM

Most granular fertilizer is slow-release. What's missing here is the analysis of fertilizer, application rate, and how it was able to become in contact with the plants so quickly. I mix 5-2-0 with 8-10-8 and no problem to give each pepper plant just over a teaspoon. Both are in granular form and take a long time to break down.

Martin

fatrat · #13 05/27/12, 10:08 PM

I think the fertilizer was probably just fine but the way you used it was not. Better read the directions more carefully next time.

Joshie · #14 05/27/12, 10:38 PM

I've never used fertilizer in flower or garden beds. My plants do very well.

rambler · #15 05/27/12, 10:55 PM

You don't want to use too much fertilizer.

If you put down enough to be able to scrap it off again by hand, you mighta overdone it a tad!

It's how we learn.

You are likely overdoing it a lot with the expensive stuff too, but as it is slow-release - it is encapsulated in a buffer to melt down slower - it likely was tolerated by your plants.

I farm for a living, working out the best amount of fertilizer - and where to plant it - take a lot of my time. we really work on getting that right.

Many of the granular fertilizers are made by distilling slaty material into the fertilizer. Basically the fertilizer contains some salt residue in the end. You likely hurt the plants with too much salt. As a farmer, I can place a few lbs per acre of special low-salt stuff by the seed; but granulars I need to keep 2 inches or more away, and 2 inches blow the seed. If I wish to put more than 150 lbs or so of granular fertilizer on, then I am better off being 4-5 inches away. OR I can broadcast the fertilizer before I plant, work it into the soil.

So the salt doesn't get to the plants.

As others mentioned, water - lots - will wash the salt away and is your best option at this time.

We all learn, I can't list all the mistakes I've made over the years.....

--->Paul

Paquebot · #16 05/28/12, 01:59 AM

Ah, it's not exactly salt per se but in the form of salts. When I was involved in the manufacturing of fertilizer for 11 years, we had to use a different nitrogen solution during the cold months or we might end up with a 100,000 gallon tank of "salt". Certain elements may be in liquid form until a certain temperature and then "salt out" when it turns to crystals. Other than potash, KCl, "salt of the earth", there was not a drop of NaCl anywhere in the building. When granulated, the muriate of potash melted and was combined with everything else to become a slow-release granule which would not become available until the plant needed that.

However, did also inspect a spreader full of fertilizer a few days ago which was to be broadcast on a field that is tilled and ready to plant. Rather than everything in one granule, it was prilled. That is, the N, P, and K were each separate and very uniform. White for nitrogen, black for phosphorus, and red for potassium. That's a long way from the old days of 3-12-12 with about 800# of limestone per ton for a filler!

Martin