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citruscrazed

Which of these 3 Fertilizers is best for citrus?

citruscrazed
18 years ago

Today I went to our local Jung's Seed Outlet Store here in town. They have awesome prices on fertilizers and keeping Millet's suggestions of a 5-1-3 ratio of NPK in mind, picked out a couple different kinds.

The first is Hoffman Azalea $ Evergreen Food. It's ratio is 10-4-6. It's acidic but doesn't have micronutrients such as manganese and iron. It's granular.

Next is Ferti-Lome Start-N-Grow fertilizer. It's NPK ratio is 18-6-12, very close to the 5-1-3 that Millet suggested. It is not acidic and is used for general plants. It does have Micronutrients like Iron, Manganese, Boron and Zinc. It's granular.

And than of course, my last choice is Maracid. Ratio is 30-10-10, nothing like 5-1-3.

Which one do you think is best for citrus? For the granular fertilizers, can I dog a narrow hole on the egde of the pot and fill the hole with the fertilizer? Or shoudl I just leave it on the surface of the soil. Thanks!

Comments (25)

  • birdsnblooms
    18 years ago

    Citrus, I'd go with the Miracid..Of course you can alternate, using Miracid one month, and one of the others, the second..Unless of course, the granular is said to last 3 months.
    If a fertilizer doesn't contain, iron, you can always suppliment with iron chelate or sulphate.

    BTW, is Jungs, the same nursery that sells various plants, like annuals/perrenials? I get a catalog from Jung's Nursery and was curious if this was the same place..Toni

  • citruscrazed
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    Yes, same place. Thanks Toni! The granular last for 3 months.

  • birdsnblooms
    18 years ago

    Have you ever ordered any tropicals or Citrus from Jungs? If so, can you tell me about them? How about the fig/musa?

  • citruscrazed
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    I have a fig from them. It is fantastic, its huge and comes out of hibernation wonderfully year after year. Of course I got this from the outlet store so I could pick it out, it was potted and lush. It might be different for mail orders. I usually don't order from them since they have everything at their stores up here in WI.

  • birdsnblooms
    18 years ago

    Citrus, I considered ordering the fig from them but didn't know what I'd get.
    I mean, if you look at the citrus in their catalog, all that's marked is orange, lime, lemon..lol..it doesn't say which type..And since that issue with Directgardening and the fruit cocktail tree, I hesitate ordering a citrus from a non-citrus store.
    Maybe I'll order the fig next spring when the new catalogs come out..Toni

  • dodge7707
    18 years ago

    does jungs nursery have a website? thanks

  • citruscrazed
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    Yes they do...

    http://www.jungseed.com/

  • birdsnblooms
    18 years ago

    I think I'll go to their site now and see what they have in the way of figs..Darn, last wk I got a 20% discount coupon from them, but deleted it..oh well, I'm going to take a peek.
    Citrus, did the fig arrive in a pot or bare root? How tall was the plant? Thanks, Toni

  • birdsnblooms
    18 years ago

    Citrus, I couldn't locate figs at Jungs, but went to Henry Fields...plants are similar and I don't doubt these nurseries are affiliated..So, ordered a fig from Henry's..9.99..I'm not expecting much but who knows..
    Please describe your fig to me..Thanks, Toni

  • drichard12
    18 years ago

    hopefulauthor...Toni,Did you look at Raintree.Im looking at the Violette de Bordeaux (Also known as Bordeaux and as Negronne) Raintree also has good ratings from Garden WatchDog I plan on calling them tomarrow...Dale

  • citruscrazed
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    Remember, Toni, I said I got it from the store here in town. So it didn't arrive to me and it was of course potted. It was big because it didn't have to be shipped. I don't think a mail order plant would be anything close to what you get right at a nursery. Also, they only have seeds and such on their site. You have to request a catalogue to order the 'good stuff'. In My experiance Raintree is was overpriced on everything. Just for an example, their 2 year meyer lemons are $50 plus shipping...

  • birdsnblooms
    18 years ago

    Citrus, that's right, duh, they wouldn't sell a bare-root plant at a nursery..lol..
    What is Raintree? I've heard that name before, but can't place it..what's the addy, just want to chek it out..
    I do get Jungs and Henry's catalogs but tossed them. In fact, got fall catalogs a couple wks back..oh well, it's too late now.
    So, how tall is your fig? What do you feed it? How often? Toni

  • citruscrazed
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    The fig is 4 feet tall and 5 feet wide. It buds out 3 different times a year. Once right away in March, then again in late May and now another set of buds are coming out. It's a beast! When I got it it had lots of figs on it. This year I took them off when they formed to put more energy into getting strong branches. (Figs are so weak!) I feed it a basic Miracle Grow ever 2 weeks.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Raintree Nursery

  • gene_washdc
    18 years ago

    Toni,
    Sorry to butt in on this, but I'm a bit of a fig freak and thought I'd add my 2 cents. I've bought a fig from Raintree (and many other things too) and they're a good nursery that I like. But my favorite for figs is Paradise Nursery near Virginia Beach, VA. Paradise has a good selection, slightly better prices, and they ship nice potted plants that usually bear the first season. Raintree ships only bareroot trees, and bareroot trees can take a while to break dormancy and you run the risk of the roots drying out.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Paradise Nursery -- Figs

  • drichard12
    18 years ago

    Toni..Gardenweb also has a Fig Forum..It looked to me that Paradise isnt shipping again until next Spring. Also heard that they were very good, I went with Raintree..Good Luck...Dale

  • drichard12
    18 years ago

    Toni..You got to go to the Fig Forum ITS GREAT...Dale

  • birdsnblooms
    18 years ago

    Citrus, I forgot to mention, when I went to Direct Gardens in Bloomington, Il, I saw a few people buying bare root plants, (outdoor types) but most were potted..
    Gene, thanks for the site..I'll check it out..Is this where you buy your fig trees? How many do you have? Are any hardy to z7 or do you grow in containers? In comparison to citrus, which are easier to grow?
    Drichard, I'll check out the fig forum..Hopefully, they'll be enough posts to answer questions regarding figs. Thanks, everyone..Toni

  • drichard12
    18 years ago

    O.K GardenWeb doe's have a Fig forum..This is Citrus lets being this to Figs an not Citrus.Thank You Dale

  • Millet
    18 years ago

    Citrus Crazed, I make all of my own potting soil out of CHC and peatmoss. To this mix I add one cup dolomite, one cup slow release fertilizer and a 1/4 cup STEM for every 5-gallons of potting medium. The slow release fertilizer I purchase comes in a 40-lb. bags from The Crystal Company in Saint Louis. The formula is 23-4-8 which is basically a 5-1-2 formula. This is the closest formula to a 5-1-3 in a slow release that I can find. Of the three you mentioned above I guess I would take the 30-10-10 and flush the container every 3 months with clear water to reintroduce a ballance. - Millet

  • citruscrazed
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    Thanks Millet!

    Dale- Split personality going on? First post you tell Toni that she would love it at the Fig forum and then your next post your being rude and short with her. What's your problem? Multiple personality disorder or something. She can ask me questiopns about figs in my area here because I never go to the fig forum. You're acting very immature. Thanks,
    Matt

  • drichard12
    18 years ago

    Gee Matt..Didnt mean the step on anyones toes here. I realize that many postings go another way. Although I do have an interest in Figs! Thanks to Toni an what was posted here
    There is a Fig Fourm that GardenWeb has that is meant for such disscussions. I did try to be polite in stating that
    People that come to the Citrus Fourm want to learn about Citrus not Figs
    As I mentioned above Figs sparked my interest I felt that [Which of these 3 Fertilizers is best for citrus] has nothing to do with Figs If you feel offened by my above posting so be it...Have some respect for the interests of the Citrus people...Dale

  • Patty_in_Wisc
    18 years ago

    I don't think anyone was being rude here. Matt, you are over reacting. I will say that Paradise Nursery is an excelent place to order figs from..whether here or or fig forum. I will say that if you want to know about figs, go to the fig forum...& IF i'M ON THE fig forum & someone wants to know about citrus, I suggest they go on the citrus forum. No one shoud be insulted by that.

  • birdsnblooms
    18 years ago

    Patty, the thing is, there are a few people here on citrus who disagree with anything I say..So we talked about figs, no biggie..
    There are posts here on Citrus fourm where people have discussed papayas, banans, and other fruits, yet they weren't told by anyone to go to the banana, papaya, or other forums..
    I want to thank you Matt, because you read between the lines of Drichards post to me.
    I would like to persoanlly thank you. So, Patty, do you understand what Matt was trying to convey? It's not a matter of talking apples and oranges, it's just another insensitive remark, meant to hurt me..Maybe Drichard wants me to leave Citrus forum..that's how I'm reading his post..he's telling me to go to fig forum. Toni

  • citruscrazed
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    You're welcome, Toni. You're a great person with lots of knowledge about the hobby, and don't deserve to be treated the way you are treated on this forum.
    Like Toni said, Patty, people talk about lots of different fruits here, and are never told to go to the different forums. She asked a quick question and I was able to answer it here...we did not have to take our small convo elsewhere. Thanks,
    Matt

  • birdsnblooms
    18 years ago

    Thank you, Matt. I try helping people when and if I know the answer, reveal places I shop at, and just enjoy talking to those who enjoy talking to me. Thanks again. Toni
    PS: Did you decide which ferilizer you'll be using?

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