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using liquid feed

patparipatpari Posts: 38
in Tools and techniques
how do you feed liquid feed in the pots after the rain. do you use dilute solution and what will be the ratio as pots will be water logged with all the rain we had

Posts

  • KeenOnGreenKeenOnGreen Posts: 1,756
    We don't bother to liquid feed when it has been raining heavily or for prolonged periods.  It won't make much difference if you miss the feeding for a week or two, and the feed will only end up getting washed out of the pots if it is heavy.

    We have had a lot of rain in London recently, so I skipped last weekends feed.  I'll resume feeding this weekend.  
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 50,155
    If your plants are in the right medium, and have the correct drainage in them, then consistent rain shouldn't be a problem. If they're waterlogged, something's wrong with the way they're being grown.  It's actually easier to use a liquid feed when the soil/compost is moist.
    A slow release food is ideal for many potted plants if you're in an area that gets a lot of rain. I use that more now, because I live in that kind of area,  but I also use tomato food - mainly later in the season when the granular food has been used up, and for plants that are heavy flowerers [annuals like sweet peas] . 

    It also depends on the type of plant, but you would normally use it at the standard dilution rate given on the bottle  :)
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  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 9,965
    If I'm going to feed any potted plants and see the compost is a bit too dry, I water first, then feed the following day or if I can't be bothered I use a 1/2 strength feed
    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • nick615nick615 Posts: 1,286
    Adapting a procedure I use in 'open ground', i.e. not pots, have you considered inserting a plastic tube down the side of each pot at time of planting?  This will enable you to drop in a measured amount of neat feed on a regular basis, that will immediately go to the bottom of the pot where it will mix with the water and be available for the roots to feed off.  My motivation in the garden is to feed plants, not weeds, but, with this adaptation and using, say, an eye dropper, you might find that 'x' drops every 'y' days will produce the best results?
  • chickychicky Posts: 10,322
    I would never use liquid feed neat - even at depth.  It will be much too strong for plants and could do more harm than good 😟
  • nick615nick615 Posts: 1,286
    Good!  patpari   now has two choices, either of which could provide the answer.
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