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Lombard, IL

I know I have to switch fertilizers at different times (plant, flower-fruit) can you give me some good NPK numbers. Right now I have Alaska Fish something (the bottles are not in front of me)with an NPK of 5-1-1 and fish emulsion 2-4-.5. What numbers should I be looking for on the packages. From what I have read, these numbers are not big enough.

7/3/2007 9:58:10 AM

Picton,ON (j.vincent@xplornet.ca)

Fish and seaweed are great all season long as a foliar feed and as a soil drench. Don't get hung up on the analysis, although if you have a choice, now that we are into pollination season, try to uses something lower in Nitrogen (First Number) and higher in Phosphorous (second number).

I am using fish and seaweed twice a week as a foiliar feed at 1% solution strength, about 1-1.5L (Quarts) solution per plant now. I am also adding a foliar fertilizer, 6-18-6 at a rate of 1.5 oz per gal(30ml).

7/3/2007 1:12:39 PM

Rhode Island

adding some calcium and potash a couple times (once in mid august-once in early september ) also helps the plant replenish whats been drawn out of the soil growing that monster

7/4/2007 6:00:04 AM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

Fertilizer is labeled N-P-K where:
N = Nitrogen
P = Phosphorus
K = Potassium (or Potash)

High N early like your 5-1-1
High P right before fruit set like your 2-4-.5
Balanced for early fruit growth such as 4-4-4.
Higher K for the finish such as 2-1-5.
(If you can find stuff like this)

It is much easier to manufacture synthetics with exact analysis such as these. But the trend has been toward organics for a multitude of reasons. Finding an organic finishing fertilizer (high potash) that is soluble enough might be a challenge. This is why so many growers balance organics with synthetics.

Sulphate of Potash (0-0-50) is considered organic, is very low-salt & MIGHT be found in an organic preparation that would make a nice finishing fertilizer. I haven't found one commercially, but it could be out there.

7/4/2007 8:55:49 AM

Somers, CT

I was about to ask these questions. Glad to be reading them. Be careful, Espoma sells some organic types with salt in it. Forgot which one but it starts with sodium but stay away. I have been going with organics and the plants are doing very well. I promised myself I would not panic and throw lots of synthetics on it in the heat of the moment this year. That and promised to set my first farther out than 10' on the vine, keep up with watering and weed more.

7/5/2007 9:02:10 PM

Farmville, Virginia (mfowler@hsc.edu)

Would a general purpose Miracle Gro be ok during the time the pumpkin is growing or is this to much N & P for this stage of the plant? I would be feeding this at the rate of one gallon per plant around the stump.

7/8/2007 5:32:33 PM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

Triple twenty (20-20-20) is fine for general growth. Just be careful of the rate.

7/8/2007 10:10:07 PM