General feed

Jamienoble1984

Hi all,

I'm a novice veg grower and built the family a couple of raised beds to grow some veg. We've planted 1 bed with onions, leeks, garlic and spring onions the other with lettuce, carrots, beetroot and carrots so far. I'm wondering if there's a general feed I can use for all the veggies? I've had a 'Google' but the 'advice' was abit contradictory and suggested a different feed for different veg. Is this the case or is there a general feed that benefits all veg?

Thanks for your help!

mrtjforman

generally a tomato feed is suited for all plants.

Plants need a combination of macro and mineral nutrients and the main difference in feeds is the ratio so don't go for anything exotic, stick to tomato feed which should be formulated in equal ratios. The main nutrients are N-P-K and should be in similar ratios like 3-3-3 or 7-7-7. Avoid stuff like 0-30 and you'll be good.

Also start off using half the manufacturers recommended dosage. They like you to use more than you need to and plants can be overfed easily.

josusa47

You can make your own feeds from nettles, which are rich in nitrogen and promote leafy growth, and comfrey, which is rich in potassium and promotes flowering and fruiting.  Just gather the nettle or comfrey and soak them in water for a week or two.  Preferably with a lid on because they pong.  I believe phosphorus is the important element for root growth, but I've never heard of a plant that you can use to make a phosphorus-rich feed.

You can also buy seaweed extract which is very concentrated and add a thimbleful to a watering can.

Freshly-voided human urine is also high in nitrogen compounds, and can be added to your watering can.  But it must be fresh.  When urine is exposed to air the nitrates start to turn to ammonia which plants can't take up.  I learned all this from a jolly little book called:  "Liquid gold: the lore and logic of using urine to grow plants."

Dovefromabove

You took the words right out of my mouth @philippa smith2 ... I was just writing that when OH said supper was ready ... 

Jamienoble1984

Thank you for such a speedy and varied response. What I've taken from the comments are:

A decent compost will help all plants.

Rotate crops
 
Tomatoe feed is good but maybe not for fruiting veg.

Seaweed feed could be good. Are there any circumstances when seaweed shouldn't be used?

You can make a home made brew from nettles.

You could use human urine? Not sure I'll tell the kids this one.

Kind regards
Jamie

Jamienoble1984

Sorry should have said tomatoe feed is not good for nom fruiting veg.

Hampshire_Hog

@Jamienoble1984 Pelleted chicken manure is a good one just sprinkle a few hand fulls around the plants, and you can put it down and lightly fork in just before you plant.

As @philippa smith2 mentioned look up crop rotation and maybe if you have the room add a third bed that way a simple 3 bed rotation system will be easy to use and understand. 

Sounds like your on the right track and you will find just about the answer to anything here if you ask and most of us a friendly most of the time 

Plashing

I use compost, blood fish and bone + pelleted chicken manure two or three days before sowing or planting,for later on I use a liquid feed of tomato food+ seaweed extract once a every two weeks especially on my fruit,courgettes peas,beans and squashes,for other veg I just us other liquid food

Jamienoble1984

Thanks everyone, really appreciate your help.