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Pa

Has anyone used miracle grow tree spikes around their pumpkins plants to see if it works?

5/24/2012 5:35:44 PM

Rapid City, SD

miracle gorw will never see any of our pumpkins

5/24/2012 9:17:26 PM

Muddy Waters

Would most likely burn roots,I wouldnt try it.

5/24/2012 9:58:16 PM

Bottom of ohio

not a dumb ? thats how you learn, ( miracle grow is No )

5/24/2012 10:05:44 PM

Eastern Pennsylvania

You'll find that most growers here avoid chemical fertilizers because they leave behind a salt residue which over time can build up and cause an imbalance in the soil.

5/25/2012 8:56:22 AM

Westford, MA

Too much in a concentrated area.
Your roots are spread all over.
As Orange said seems like a bunch of the growers on here
don't like the Chems.
I think some are rabid with their hate for Miracle gro.

Me, I'm all Organic.
.
.
.
.
except for the chemicals I use.
I do put a pinch of the powder occassionally when I water.
I like the color looks great with a little fish emulsion.

5/25/2012 2:17:04 PM

Breslau, Ontario, Canada

Miracle Grow is the same as any other "synthetic" "ferts" we use. If you have ammonium sulfate or sulfate of potash or...it's pretty much all the same, there may be a different salt index
using it at the recommended rate or half strength will not be enough to harm anything.

This is what's in my Miracle grow:

Miracle-Gro is made with ammonium phosphate, urea, potassium chloride, boric acid, copper sulfate, iron EDTA, magnesium EDTA, urea phosphate, zinc sulfate, and sodium molybdate. The percentage breakdown is as follows: Total Nitrogen: 15% (9.2% urea nitrogen and 5.8% ammonium nitrogen); Available phosphate: 30%; Boron: .02%; Soluble Potash: 15%; Copper: .07%; Iron: .15%; Manganese: .05%; Molybdenum: .00005%; and Zinc: .06%.

Some of these look familiar dont they?

I know a few growers that give their plants a light dose of the miracle...including a certain world record holder.

5/26/2012 11:17:18 AM

Long Island,New York

Miracle Gro is not the curse you guys grab and run with. It is an excellent suppliment imho....but I only got 1175 pkn and 975squash with it.

5/26/2012 11:49:15 AM

The bottom of New Jersey

The question had to do with the tree spikes - I'm pretty sure there are no giant pumpkin growers anywhere using them. Chemical fertilizers in general can work fine if you are careful with them, just like any chemical.

5/26/2012 2:04:48 PM

Seattle, WA

Keep in mind that chemical fertilizers also pollute our rivers, streams, and water supply. Nitrates and phosphates are a major problem. Google "dead zones" if you want to read more about how we're creating algal blooms in our oceans.

The issue is that with chemical fertilizers (salts), you are using nutrients in ionic form that will leach rapidly through the soil. In organics, the nutrients are "locked up" within the cellular walls of microorganisms.

Anyway, it's a choice and I'm not trying to stand on a soapbox. I just hope people make an educated choice and aware of how their actions may have a greater impact than just their pumpkin patch.

Oh, and Orangeneck brought up a good point of how conventional growing methods will degrade soil fertility over time.

5/26/2012 5:10:04 PM

Colorado

A little supplemental fertilizer will keep your plants/fruit at optimal growth rates. I use very little cause the soil provides 90% of the nutrients.Tree spikes is def. not the way to go.Soluble phos. will shut your mychorryzae cycle down.A little nitrogen and potassium at the right time may grow you a world record.

5/26/2012 5:55:41 PM

Mill Bay, British Columbia

I would not use the tree spikes for a pumpkin patch but do apply a couple light feedings of MG, 15-30-15 at the start of the flowering stage...usually end up with more flowers that I could possibly use or need...my 2 cents...

5/28/2012 5:30:06 PM