I’ve read other threads regarding Miracle gro...but most seem to deal with using Miracle gro potting soil as a substrate. This is my question. I’d like opinions on using the fertilizer on plants that will eventually be used as food. Case in point...a Rose of Sharon ( hibiscus). I’ve always been quite impressed with Miracle gro’s results ( easily double the foliage compared to no fertilizing) when used on ornamentals. I could definitely use a bumper crop of hibiscus flowers..with all the faces that need feeding. There are two possible feeding methods...pour the MG solution at the base of the plant or spray the entire plant ( which gives the best results by far). Ideas? Thoughts?
Miracle gro
- Thread starter Skip K
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Ok. I use MG all the time on all my plants, including Hibiscus & Rose of Sharon that go straight to our Sully. Never an issue, she’s alive, kicking, growing & strong. Id say, just use it.
Do you fertilize the base...or spray the entire bush?
The root base. Foliar sprays work well too, but I normally fertilize at the root base. If you do spray the leaves, you can just do a good rinse. That said, for things like Rose of Sharon & Hibiscus i believe fertilizing the roots is better.
Thanks for your insight!
Good luck.
As long as it is plain fertilizer, and not a weed n' feed or anything with pesticides mixed in, it is fine to grow tortoise food with fertilizers. Just don't let the tortoise have access to the actual fertilizer product. For example, I wouldn't put a granular fertilizer around the base of a plant that is inside a tortoise enclosure. Outside the enclosure where the tortoise can't get to it is fine.
Me too
AgataP
Well-Known Member
Have to order rose of Sharon somewhere anyone knows a good place ?
It’s either one of two ways, Tom. Granules mixed in water ( used for pouring on the base only) or the liquid cartridge version used with a MG dispenser made for the cartridges. I don’t fertilize with the torts around..allowing the treatment to be absorbed and dry before any possible exposure. I like the cartridge because there is no mixing and it’s easier to use. I like spraying the bush if possible because the fertilizer is absorbed by the leaves as well as roots and gives impressive results. But I was concerned if a leaf was munched or grass that might have overspray on it was consumed. It wouldn’t be wet of course. But being able to use MG...I’m confident...would not only increase size rapidly...but possible double ( or more) flower production on a daily basis ( which I need)....based on previous history of use. I also plan on using MG now when I transplant the cold weather palm ( for leaves) and cold weather opuntia ( pads) outside which I started indoors and will give them a summer to get established before “testing” their supposed cold weather hardiness next fall/winter/spring. Just trying to increase my home grown foods...in not the most optimum of environs.
Thanks for your info...as always
I usually mix fertilizers into the soil. I've never sprayed the whole plant. I've never known that spraying the leaves with fertilizer would do anything. As long as it gets rinsed off before feeding, I don't think that would hurt anything, but I prefer to direct the fertilization to the roots/soil.
I’ve tried experimenting with Heuchera ( two similar plants next to each other). One had the granular mix in water poured at the base...the other...the entire plant was sprayed with the liquid version. Both did much better than other Heuchera that weren’t fertilized at all...but the one that was sprayed all over grew bigger...quicker and flowered earlier. Hardly a controlled scientific experiment. But it sold me on application for plants other than ones that will be used as food. I’ll probably go with simply pouring the granular in water mix at the base since I don’t know how long a sprayed on fertilizer is retained in the leaves...or if even though MG might be considered safe...if it would cause gastric distress if treated leaves or grass is consumed. I feel more comfortable if the fertilizer is absorbed naturally through the roots only.
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Addendum. When I say spray the bush...I mean with enough liquid fertilizer...that it soaks into the ground as well. I know liquid fertilizer is absorbed thru the leaves and believe this delivers fertilizer...not only slowly through roots...but quickly as well...through the leaves. But as usual...this is just a hypothesis.
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Hi Skip,
Ground application is better for short term use than if the plant is sprayed, longer term the spray is okay. There should be instruction on the container for vegetable gardens regarding this. Not that you wouldn't already - but thoroughly rinse the stuff if you use the foliar method - which can be using the misting function on a garden sprayer just before you harvest.
There are other things in the crystals that are not NP & K, that would probably be best NOT consumed.
There are many alarmist who will say do not fertilize while also asking what supplements can be used for a tortoise. Plants do better when they get supplements too. In tortoise terms, it's better to offer foods high in a nutrient than giving injections of the nutrient, as the digestive tract can moderate intake, an injection is 'just there' in the blood all of a sudden. Roots moderate fertilizer intact better than foliar sprays.
Here is more detail: the plant will collect and store more nitrogen than it uses. All that excess nitrogen can impact the gut microfauna, I do not know the dynamics of that impact for tortoises, it is in the 'lit' regarding cows and horses. Ground application results in less "free" nitrogen than foliar applications.
As a side note: Protein values for plant matter is a multiplication of detected nitrogen in the tissue, so heavily fertilized crops will have a 'higher' protein value than an actual protein content.
"The Kjeldahl method involves the digestion of food with a strong acid so that nitrogen is released, which is then quantified using a titration technique. Protein quantity is then calculated from the nitrogen concentration of the food using a conversion factor (usually 6.25 which is equivalent to 0.16 g nitrogen per gram of protein). This is considered the standard method for protein measurement but has its disadvantages." From https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7597951/
Ground application is better for short term use than if the plant is sprayed, longer term the spray is okay. There should be instruction on the container for vegetable gardens regarding this. Not that you wouldn't already - but thoroughly rinse the stuff if you use the foliar method - which can be using the misting function on a garden sprayer just before you harvest.
There are other things in the crystals that are not NP & K, that would probably be best NOT consumed.
There are many alarmist who will say do not fertilize while also asking what supplements can be used for a tortoise. Plants do better when they get supplements too. In tortoise terms, it's better to offer foods high in a nutrient than giving injections of the nutrient, as the digestive tract can moderate intake, an injection is 'just there' in the blood all of a sudden. Roots moderate fertilizer intact better than foliar sprays.
Here is more detail: the plant will collect and store more nitrogen than it uses. All that excess nitrogen can impact the gut microfauna, I do not know the dynamics of that impact for tortoises, it is in the 'lit' regarding cows and horses. Ground application results in less "free" nitrogen than foliar applications.
As a side note: Protein values for plant matter is a multiplication of detected nitrogen in the tissue, so heavily fertilized crops will have a 'higher' protein value than an actual protein content.
"The Kjeldahl method involves the digestion of food with a strong acid so that nitrogen is released, which is then quantified using a titration technique. Protein quantity is then calculated from the nitrogen concentration of the food using a conversion factor (usually 6.25 which is equivalent to 0.16 g nitrogen per gram of protein). This is considered the standard method for protein measurement but has its disadvantages." From https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7597951/
Thank you for the detailed info. If given a choice of guessing or not...I won’t experiment with my animals. I’m going with the ground method and forgoing the foliar application. But as you mentioned...any food harvested or fed indoors...receives a thorough washing...even store bought “already washed and ready to serve” greens.
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