UK gardening - Feeding embothrium was Grey Water for Garden?

Author

Feeding embothrium was Grey Water for Garden?

Janet Baraclough

2005-07-27, 1:21 pm

The message <854ce19g599s7ekh7upc8a3tdgkc3l3n0n@4ax.com>
from Chris Hogg <me@privacy.net> contains these words:
The other, and I must admit pretty rare occasion, is when
> applying grey water to plants that are poisoned by phosphate, i.e.
> protaceae. I doubt if many urglers grow them, but some may grow the
> Chilean Fire Tree, Embothrium coccinium, which is a member of that
> family. But again, the occasional watering won't make much difference.

So what, if anything, do I feed my embothrium coccinium with? It was
planted as a small stick last year, flowered this year, and is growing
at a terrific rate in a sheltered corner. It's only 2 or 3 metres from
the compost heaps so will probably get its feet into some very rich soil
in a year or two, is this a Bad Thing for it?

Janet

Chris Hogg

2005-07-27, 4:21 pm

On Tue, 26 Jul 2005 22:54:39 +0100, Janet Baraclough
<janet.and.john@zetnet.co.uk> wrote:

>The message <854ce19g599s7ekh7upc8a3tdgkc3l3n0n@4ax.com>
>from Chris Hogg <me@privacy.net> contains these words:
> The other, and I must admit pretty rare occasion, is when
>
> So what, if anything, do I feed my embothrium coccinium with? It was
>planted as a small stick last year, flowered this year, and is growing
>at a terrific rate in a sheltered corner. It's only 2 or 3 metres from
>the compost heaps so will probably get its feet into some very rich soil
>in a year or two, is this a Bad Thing for it?
>
> Janet

I've owned two of these lovely trees in my time, growing in ordinary
well drained acid garden soil, and I don't recall feeding them at all.
South African proteas (as opposed to proteaceae in general) usually
grow on very lean well-drained acid sandy soils and have roots
especially developed to extract the maximum amount of nourishment from
them. But Embothriums come from S. America and seem to have evolved
slightly differently, although they still don't like phosphates. They
like an acid, moisture retentive but not heavy soil, with plenty of
organic matter, and sheltered from strong winds. Down here in
Cornwall, they're commonly grown in open woodland.

By the sound of it, yours is doing very well and doesn't need feeding.
I doubt that the adjacent compost heap will be a problem. But if you
do feel the need to feed it, just use a little ammonium sulphate and
potassium sulphate, say a heaped teaspoon of each in a gallon of
water, and pro rata. Alternatively, Trevena Cross nursery do a
fertiliser especially for proteaceae, but AIUI it's aimed primarily at
the South African species. IMO it's a bit expensive for what it is!
http://www.trevenacross.co.uk/

--
Chris

E-mail: christopher[dot]hogg[at]virgin[dot]net

Chris Hogg

2005-07-28, 3:21 pm

I forgot to mention that apparently there is a zero-phosphate
agricultural fertiliser available, used for cut grass swards amongst
other things, which should be OK. It's NPK is 2:0:1 . Try your local
agricultural suppliers, although I imagine they'll only sell it by the
sackful, which seems a bit OTT just for one shrub.

--
Chris

E-mail: christopher[dot]hogg[at]virgin[dot]net

michael adams

2005-07-28, 3:21 pm

"Chris Hogg" <me@privacy.net> wrote in message
news:116he19btbflnh1d43ag8dq0r2j3jmntq4@4ax.com...

> I forgot to mention that apparently there is a zero-phosphate
> agricultural fertiliser available, used for cut grass swards amongst
> other things, which should be OK. It's NPK is 2:0:1 . Try your local
> agricultural suppliers, although I imagine they'll only sell it by the
> sackful, which seems a bit OTT just for one shrub.

Henry Alty supply a whole range of zero phosphate feeds in
their Vitax range.

http://www.altys.co.uk/hort/fertilisers/vitax.html

Given the supposed inportance of phosphate this seems quite
surprising but there you go....

Vitafeed 101
26.0-0-26.0+TE
A balanced nitrogen and potash feed suitable for bedding
plants, pot plants and summer feeding of chrysanthemums
and tomatoes in soil.

Vitafeed 102
18.0-0-36.0+TE
A higher potash feed ideal for main feeding of tomatoes
in soil and winter feeding of chrysanthemums; also suitable
for flowering and fruit forming pot plants.

Vitafeed 103
13.0-0-43.0+TE
A low nitrogen, high potash feed for early season feeding of
tomatoes, especially useful in low light condition.

Vitafeed 301
36.0-0-12.0
A high nitrogen, low potash feed for cucumbers; also suitable
for bedding plants, foliage pot plants and summer feeding of
nursery stock.

michael adams

>
>
> --
> Chris
>
> E-mail: christopher[dot]hogg[at]virgin[dot]net

LinkBot