Miracle-Gro Shake & Feed???

[BlufftonSC]

Man, it's hard to get fertilizer recommendations on here! Anybody like this stuff? The version for palms, of course.

Edited March 31, 2010 by BlufftonSC

[Xerarch]

Man, it's hard to get fertilizer recommendations on here! Anybody like this stuff? The version for palms, of course.

It should be fine, certainly you could get the same ratio of N-P-K for a cheaper price than from a miracle-gro product, but the product itself should be fine for palms if it is the palm formula.

[DoomsDave]

Hmm.

"Shake & Feed"?

Sounds like a James Brown outtake . . . .

ON a more serious note, chemical fertilizers should be used sparingly, and resources (including money) spent to amend the soil and make it lighter, if clay, or add orgnanics if sandy. Chemical fertilizers, used to excess (which I tend to do) also pollute rivers and ground water. In some palms, they can cause relative micronutrient deficiencies (esp. in Queens.)

(OOMPH! Down off my stacked cartons of Shake & Feed . . . . )

That said, if it's relatively high in potassium (the three numbers on a fertilizer package denote the nutrients: e.g., 10-11-12. 10 is % nitrogen; 11 is % phosphorus and 12 is % potassium) which palms like.

I'm sure it will be good, though I'd try to find a "Brand X" which has the same nutrients for less if you can.

If you use it, let us know how it works. Knowledge is always power, and you can help, too!

[kahili]

I do use chemical ferts, I like the high nitrogen numbers that I can get with them, and because I live in a zone 7/8, I don't have a lot of time, weather/high temp wise for prime growing time. When fertilizing palms, look for a ratio of 3-1-2 or as close as you can get to that. So I use 19-6-12 Multicote. Its a 6 month slow release, so I only apply it once a yr. It starts to release at 60 degree soil temps, so I don't put it out until sometime in late April and it will last the season. Choose a good slow release fertilizer that has all the micro nutrients as well as the macro (nitrogen etc). The rate that you apply will differ depending on the size of the plant. Generally the rule is 1 T/gallon size. With palms that are in the ground and established, I just throw a few small handfuls around the base and outward, not extending past where the leaves grow. I also throw a handful of Epsom salts (magnesium) at the same time. I use this fert also on all my bananas and alocasias/colocasias in the ground as well.

I am not familiar with Miracle gro shake and feed. Is it a slow release? What are the numbers on it? Micro nutrients in it? Those are the things that you want to look at. Also buying the largest bag you can will save you money. I buy mine in 50 (maybe its 40) lb bags and its about $ 60/bag. But I have a lot of palms/tropicals that I use it for. There is also a sulfur coated slow release that Lesco puts out that is 1/3 cheaper and releases at 45 degree soil temps, but that sulfur will change the PH pretty fast, though the PH will come back up after a month or so. It also has all the micro nutrients. Keep in mind too that if you have clay, as I do, that clay is very rich in micro nutrients. Not saying that you should not get them in the fert that you use. but just that clay is easier to work with in terms of providing nutrients. Drainage is another matter! Hope this helps.

[BlufftonSC]

I do use chemical ferts, I like the high nitrogen numbers that I can get with them, and because I live in a zone 7/8, I don't have a lot of time, weather/high temp wise for prime growing time. When fertilizing palms, look for a ratio of 3-1-2 or as close as you can get to that. So I use 19-6-12 Multicote. Its a 6 month slow release, so I only apply it once a yr. It starts to release at 60 degree soil temps, so I don't put it out until sometime in late April and it will last the season. Choose a good slow release fertilizer that has all the micro nutrients as well as the macro (nitrogen etc). The rate that you apply will differ depending on the size of the plant. Generally the rule is 1 T/gallon size. With palms that are in the ground and established, I just throw a few small handfuls around the base and outward, not extending past where the leaves grow. I also throw a handful of Epsom salts (magnesium) at the same time. I use this fert also on all my bananas and alocasias/colocasias in the ground as well.

I am not familiar with Miracle gro shake and feed. Is it a slow release? What are the numbers on it? Micro nutrients in it? Those are the things that you want to look at. Also buying the largest bag you can will save you money. I buy mine in 50 (maybe its 40) lb bags and its about $ 60/bag. But I have a lot of palms/tropicals that I use it for. There is also a sulfur coated slow release that Lesco puts out that is 1/3 cheaper and releases at 45 degree soil temps, but that sulfur will change the PH pretty fast, though the PH will come back up after a month or so. It also has all the micro nutrients. Keep in mind too that if you have clay, as I do, that clay is very rich in micro nutrients. Not saying that you should not get them in the fert that you use. but just that clay is easier to work with in terms of providing nutrients. Drainage is another matter! Hope this helps.

Thanks for the thorough recommendations. My son helps with the palms and he ascribes to your high nitrogen philosophy, although our growing season here is pretty long. I'm not sure if there are ANY nutrients in our soil...it is really odd... mucky black when it rains and like a sandy tan powder when it dries out. If there are micros in it I'd be shocked. We have to fertilize the heck out of everything in the yard. I guess we got a lot of fill dirt from the pond they dug in our backyard to bring the neighborhood elevation up higher that the surrounding wetlands. Do you have a local Lesco or do you order that through the mail?

Thanks, again for the great input.

[kahili]

Yes, there are several Lescos in the area. John Deere bought Lesco, so you may have a John Deere in your area that carries Lesco products. Just remember that Lesco mainly carries the sulfur coated pellets, which will lower the PH.That may be a good thing for you if the PH is extremely high in your yard. It may be a good idea to get your soil tested at your state ag lab. Its really cheap to do, and it will help you figure out what you need in terms of fert. Adding mulch and other organic materials every year will help change the consistency of your soil. Not sure about your area, but in Raleigh, the city has a dump pile of leaves that they collect from inside the city limits and I used to go get loads of composted leaves and shred them for topdressing beds and also for working into the soil.Also, usually mulch companies have different types of mulch products-some really cheap that you could buy in bulk. Anything like that will help.

I also get fert from BWI and they are in SC. They sell a lot of different products besides fert