Fertilizer

Teddahlia

The most often asked questions, especially from beginners are about fertilizer. They generally have no clue and if they were farmers they would starve to death. ( I like weird statements to get peoples' attention).

We currently do not have an active thread on fertilizer. I just a few minutes ago applied some fertilizer on 80% of the dahlias and will do the rest later. Yes, I used fertilizer. Nothing special and it is mostly all nitrogen as my garden has lots of phosphorus and some potassium. One of the bags said it had some potassium . How much per dahlia? Probably a teaspoon or two . They will get more in a few weeks. They are looking good this year.

Veryzer

I see people using stuff that seems exotic by my standards...compost tea, fish fertilizer, kelp fertilizer... I'm just using Plant Tone. Is it just six of one, half dozen of the other, or are there benefits to a stinky garden? Not that Plant Tone smells like perfume

Teddahlia

I believe that fish fertilizer (or kelp) has more good things in it than just fertilizer. If your garden is missing some of the "minor" fertilizer elements the fish fertilizer can really help. I would use it as a remedy more than a fertilizer and a good application or two should last the entire season. I once visited a commercial garden where all they used was fish fertilizer. The smell was quite intense but the flowers were wonderful. There are lots of concoction type fertilizers out there that supposedly have "magic" ingredients. New ones come out every couple of years. For a long time fertilizer teas were all the rage. One grower had access to pig manure and put it into 55 gallon drum and pumped it (filtered probably) into the garden.

Veryzer

Teddahlia

So then it looks like the fish fertilizer covers the macros and kelp covers the micros. I'd love for someone in the know to chime in as to whether these are given together or one is used more sparingly than the other. Also, I see Alaska is 5-1-1 and the Neptune product is 2-4-1. I wonder if the Alaska brand, which seems very well regarded, is okay once they start flowering.

It could all be a moot point for me as I'm on thin ice with my wife already. My cutting space is adjacent to her work-from-home space and the gnats fail to recognize that border. The stink of fish fertilizer in our yard (if what I read is correct) could be a bridge too far.

bloomhjelm

A prominent dahlia seller just posted on Facebook that she is using a fertilizer with a 30 phosphorus number, and specifically sang the praises of phosphorus, and I very much wanted to tag Mr. Kennedy for his thoughts on phosphorus.

The big sales point for Warren Vigor's fertilizer is that it contains secret growth components from fast-growing fish (carp) but I think probably the secret is the very good trace minerals in kelp.

Flowernut

Veryzer The only fertilizer I use during the season is my Neptune's Fish Fertilizer and Neptune's Seaweed (both liquid). At planting I add alfalfa meal to my planting hole. This works for me. My dahlias have given me their stamp of approval.😉

Veryzer

Flowernut

Could you describe the smell and its duration? As mentioned above, I use Plant Tone, and you can smell it thirty feet away, but once it's watered in the smell basically goes away, Is Neptune similar?

Flowernut

Veryzer It has never bothered me. The fish fertilizer does have a strong smell, but I honestly don't recall the smell lingering. I need to feed my dahlias. I will pay closer attention and let you know.

Flowernut

Veryzer Before I fertilized today I looked at my notes from last year. My first time fertilizing the dahlias I used Fox Farm Grow Big and Neptune's Seaweed. So that is what I used today.

I would purchase a smaller bottle of both fish and seaweed and see what you think. I'm usually pretty sensitive to smells and I doubt I would have kept using the fish fertilizer if the smell was too powerful.

Teddahlia

The worst smelling "fertilizer" we ever used was mint compost and the seller did not "compost" it hardly at all. You say, I love the smell of peppermint and would want that smell in my garden. However, the mint oil has all been extracted and what is left is the worst smelling fertilizer imaginable. Fresh manure smell magnified by 10. My neighbor really appreciated it as the pile was about 50 feet from his house and 150 feet from our house. And the prevailing wind was aimed at his house. Yes, he knew how to use "curse words". I bought an expensive tarp.

Dahlia53

Teddahlia nettle is great but the smell, even worse. Plus... the sting that keeps on giving.

Veryzer

Flowernut Too late! I ended up buying a gallon of the Alaska brand locally. I could've gotten a quart, but it was half the price of a full gallon, so I thought what the heck. I haven't applied it yet, so we'll see. EDIT: I just used it and it doesn't smell that bad at all. I can definitely get away with it.

Teddahlia

"The Dog Ate It".
My father made fish fertilizer by putting fish into a 5 gallon bucket. The fish were free as they were smelt. I went into the back yard and there was this terrible smell. The dog looked very happy but he stunk so bad , you could not get near him.

MissyWeitzel

I do use fish emulsion fertilizer (not exclusively) and it stinks for a couple hours then it's fine. Just don't get it on your clothes or shoes! I once filled up my 4 gallon backpack sprayer with fish emulsion and water and didn't screw the lid on correctly and put that baby on and it all went running down the back of my clothes and shoes. I also know some good swear words! 😅

Juliarugula

MissyWeitzel eww. I don’t mind the smell when it’s outside, but I definitely wouldn’t want it down my back! 🤣🤣